Wednesday, June 11, 2025 - West Ham midfielder, Lucas Paquetá has been baptised as he continues to await the outcome of an FA investigation into alleged spot-fixing, a case that could potentially result in a lifetime ban from football.
The Brazilian international has been under scrutiny since
August 2023, when the Football Association began investigating whether he
intentionally received yellow cards in four Premier League matches. Paquetá was
formally charged in May 2024, and though the trial has since concluded, a
verdict is not expected for another four to eight weeks.
The protracted case has had significant personal and
professional consequences. Most notably, it derailed a proposed £80 million
transfer to Manchester City. West Ham manager Graham Potter previously
acknowledged the emotional and physical strain the investigation has placed on
Paquetá.
Throughout the process, Paquetá has maintained his
innocence. His wife, Maria Fournier, described the ordeal as a “nightmare” that
has spanned nearly two years. In a show of personal transformation and faith,
Paquetá was recently baptised in a private ceremony at home, accompanied by his
wife and close friend, Flamengo forward Pedro Guilherme.
Fournier shared images from the baptism, held in the
couple’s swimming pool, writing: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creature: old things have passed away; behold, everything has become new!
My husband was born again!”
The case has been described as one of the most high-profile
football integrity trials in England since Bruce Grobbelaar’s match-fixing
trial nearly three decades ago. Paquetá’s fate now rests with an independent
regulatory commission tasked with assessing the evidence.
The stakes are high. If the panel concludes that Paquetá was
involved in deliberate misconduct to manipulate betting markets, he could face
a lifetime ban. Unlike criminal trials, which require proof “beyond a
reasonable doubt,” this civil case operates on the “balance of probabilities,”
a lower standard of proof.
The pressure has visibly affected the 27-year-old. He was
seen in tears during a match against Tottenham late last season after receiving
a yellow card, a moment widely interpreted as a reflection of the toll the
investigation has taken on him.
As the football world awaits the FA’s final ruling,
Paquetá’s future in the sport remains uncertain.
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