Lucas Paqueta, a midfielder for West Ham, has criticised the Football Association (FA) for not providing psychological support after his red card against Liverpool. During the final moments of West Ham's 2-0 loss at the London Stadium, Paqueta was sent off. He received two yellow cards in quick succession for dissent towards referee Darren England. Former goalkeeper Rob Green labelled his actions as irresponsible.
The incident left West Ham playing with ten men in the closing stages. Nuno Espirito Santo, the team's manager, expressed his intention to discuss the situation with Paqueta to understand his frustrations. Despite this, Paqueta later voiced his discontent with the FA on social media.
On social media, Paqueta shared his grievances about
the lack of support from the FA. "It's ridiculous to have your life and career affected for two years without any psychological support from the federation," he wrote. He suggested that his behaviour might reflect what he has endured over time.
It's ridiculous to have your life and career affected for two years without any psychological support from the federation. Perhaps this ridiculous behavior is just a reflection of everything I've had to endure and, it seems, have to continue enduring! I'm sorry if I'm not perfect https://t.co/0CdUYNkoSU Lucas Paquet (@LucasPaqueta97) November 30, 2025
Earlier this year, Paqueta was cleared of spot-fixing allegations by the FA. He had been accused of intentionally receiving four yellow cards in Premier League matches between November 2022 and August 2023. Although cleared, he was cautioned about future conduct due to non-cooperation during investigations.
In Portuguese, Paqueta further expressed feeling like a villain due to these events affecting his mental health. He stated he would strive to prevent further impact on him but acknowledged that it did not excuse his expulsion during the match.
Paqueta apologised to fans and teammates for his actions during the game. His comments highlight ongoing concerns about mental health support within professional sports organisations.
