Playing in England has changed the way Lucas Pires see herself. During much of his career, he believed he was just a humble boy who had realized the dream of being a soccer player. Today, the 24 -year -old described as a professional, with a new mindset about his role on and off the pitch.
The change reflects not only his maturation as an athlete, but, above all, his relationship with Burnley fans, recently promoted to the first division of English football after relegation in season 2023/24. Regardless of the result in the field, the left back does not feel insecure.
Formed at the base of Corinthians, but professionalized by Santos – a unique team that defended in the country, between 2022 and 2023 – the player was afraid to take to the streets when he worked in Brazilian football.
“In Brazil, it seems that the fan feels the owner of the players,” he told the Sheet. “If the team is fine, you’re the best in the world. If it’s bad, it’s the worst. You can’t go to the market, a friend’s party or a restaurant. Sometimes you don’t even fuel the car,” he said.
Born in the neighborhood of Jabaquara, south of São Paulo, Pires arrived in European football on loan to Cadiz, where he served in season 2023/24, before drawing the attention of the English club, with which he signed a contract last July.
In England, according to him, the relationship with the crowd is quite different. “People can see the soccer player as a professional. They know that playing is his work and that, at times of leisure, when he is on the street with his family, it is not suitable to approach him,” he said.
In Brazil, the athlete was fined by Santos in 50% of his salary in June 2023, “for disciplinary reasons”, after he and also the side Nathan were caught by team fans at a party hours before a training scheduled for 9am.
Because of the episode, both spent a period training separately from the Santos cast. This was the final chapter of Pires’s trajectory in Vila Belmiro. After a promising start, he lost the confidence of the fans. The following month, he was loaned to the cadiz.
His passage in Spain was brief. He played 28 games, with a goal, but managed to make his way to transfer to England and approach the dream of playing at the Premier League.
English champion on two occasions, the last one in the distant season 1959/60, Burnley agreed to pay € 2.5 million ($ 15.8 million in the current price) to hire the athlete.
He arrived to reinforce the defense that English coach Scott Parker strived to turn into the team’s pillar. In the latest edition of Championship (the second division), the performance was impressive: the team conceded only 16 goals in 46 matches – 0.35 medium per game. It did not take more than one goal in any match and ended up unbeaten at home.
Lucas Pires played 34 League matches, 32 as a starter. With this, it helped the team win 28 wins, with 16 draws and only two losses, ending the season with 100 points.
Despite the expressive brand, the Brazilian could not celebrate the first career title, as the access trophy was with Leeds, which also added 100 points, but took advantage of the goal balance.
“It is very difficult for the team to reach 100 points and not being champion, but this is the first criterion,” resigned the Brazilian.
The runner-up did not diminish its joy for reaching the elite with Burnley. “I think it’s every player’s dream to play the Premier League.”
Pires avoided revealing if he had a team of preference in childhood, but said he was inspired by the style of game of French Patrice Evra, legendary left side of Manchester United. “He played a lot,” summarized the Brazilian, who wants to walk a similar way to the Frenchman.
“I hope the next season is wonderful.”
