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Birthdate:
09.01.1987
Birthplace: Dourados, Brazil
Other clubs: Gremio
Bought from: Gremio
Signed for LFC: £5000000 11.05.2007
International debut: 22.08.2007 vs. Algeria
International caps: 4/0 (14.10.2008)
Liverpool debut:
28.08.2007
Last appearance: 29.07.2010
Debut goal: 26.01.2008
Last goal: 08.04.2010
Contract expiry:
LFC league games/goals: 78 / 1
Total LFC games/goals: 122 / 5
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Player Notes:
A hard-working box-to-box player who was captain of the Brazilian U-20 team. In October 2005 Lucas made his debut with Gremio in the Brazilian 2nd division. Gremio were promoted and in Lucas' first season in the top flight in 2006, he was voted the best player of the Campeonato Brasileiro as Gremio took third place. Lucas is the youngest ever player to receive Placar magazine's Bola de Ouro (Golden Ball), given to the best player in the Brazilian league, an honour previously won by the likes of Zico, Falcao, Careca, Romario, Kaka and Tevez. Just before joining Liverpool, Lucas went all the way to the two-legged final in Copa Libertadores where Boca Juniors outplayed the Brazilian team, winning 5-0 on aggregate.
Lucas was finally ready to play for Liverpool on the club's pre-season trip to Hong Kong in late July, 2007. Liverpool's Brazilian played a part in 32 competitive matches during his first season in English football, 20 from the start and 12 as a subsitute. He played in all seven of the club's matches in the F.A. cup and League cup and without doubt the high point of his season came when he thundered an equalising goal into the top corner after non-League Havant & Waterlooville had taken a shock early lead in the F.A. cup-tie at Anfield in January.
Lucas was 'capped' by his country for the first time in August, 2007 and played for Brazil's Olympic team in Beijing 2008 which finished third. He was one of two Brazil players who were sent off in the semi-final defeat vs Argentina.
Alonso and Mascherano continued to be the preferred choice in midfield by Rafa in the 2008-9 season and Lucas only twice made the starting line-up in two successive games. Lucas showed his inexperience when he was sent off after 75 minutes for a second booking when he brought down Joleon Lescott vs Everton at Goodison Park in a FA Cup 4th round replay. However he gave clear glimpses of his undoubted potential and following Alonso's move to Real and Aquilani's absence through injury he will get a good run in the side in the first part of the 2009-10 season.
Only Reina (52) plus Carragher & Kuyt (53) played in more first-team matches than the much-maligned Lucas in 2009-2010. Scapegoat for many a poor performance in the past, the young Brazilian, who turned 23 during the season, won over huge sections of the fanbase with assured displays that made him probably the most improved player of any of the first-team squad during the season. Given more gametime following the departure of Alonso and the delayed arrival of Aquilani, Lucas became one of the first names to go down on the team-sheet as the season wore on. He clocked up a century of appearances when Tottenham came to Anfield in January. He was picked from the start for the first 6 matches of the season, something he had never achieved before, and continued to be a regular throughout the campaign. The signs are good that he will continue to have an important role to play in future campaigns. |
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