The Brazil national team has announced in an official statement that Lucas Paqueta has sustained an injury and will miss the Seleção’s upcoming 2026 World Cup Round of 16 match.
The West Ham star was forced to leave the pitch during the second half of Brazil’s match against Japan due to a muscular complaint. He underwent the necessary medical examinations on Tuesday morning to assess the extent of the injury.
According to the official statement, Paqueta is suffering from a thigh muscle tear and will be unable to feature in the round of 16 tie against the winner of the match between Norway and the Ivory Coast.
However, the Brazilian federation assured fans that the injury is not severe, confirming that the player has already begun a rehabilitation program aimed at speeding up his recovery process.
Should the South American giants successfully advance to the quarter-finals, Paqueta is highly expected to be fit and available for selection.
Notably, Paqueta’s injury is the second hamstring blow to hit the Seleção squad during this World Cup tournament, following a similar injury suffered by winger Raphinha earlier in the competition.
