Lucas Paquetá’s goal-filled start to the 2025/26 season continued as the West Ham United midfielder scored in Brazil’s 3-0 FIFA World Cup qualifying win over Chile.
Returning to his home city of Rio de Janeiro, Paquetá netted his country’s second goal with a clinical far-post header, just moments after being introduced as a second-half substitute.
Wearing the No11 shirt, Paquetá rose high to power home Inter Milan winger Luis Henrique’s cross from the left, having come on for Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli a minute earlier.
There was a Premier League theme to Brazil’s win, as Chelsea’s teenager Estêvão scored his first goal for his country on 38 minutes, and Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimarães completed the victory with a goal on 76.
In between, Hammers star Paquetá scored his fourth goal in five games this season, adding to Premier League goals against Chelsea and Nottingham Forest and a header in the Carabao Cup at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
It was a night of celebration for the 28-year-old, who was returning to Brazil duty for the first time since November 2024. His goal was his 12th in 56 caps.
Brazil dominated at the Maracanã, creating 22 goal attempts to Chile’s three. The Seleção have already secured qualification for next summer’s World Cup finals in North America and sit second in the ten-nation CONMEBOL qualifying table. Chile are bottom.
Runaway leaders Argentina have also qualified, as have Uruguay, Ecuador, Colombia and Paraguay. Venezuela and Bolivia are battling for the Inter-confederation play-off place, while Peru and Chile are eliminated.
Brazil complete their campaign with a trip to Bolivia, who need to win and hope Venezuela lose at home to Colombia to take the play-off place.
