Lucas: “Life is beautiful”

Lucas Moura flashes that trademark smile and declares: “I enjoy life every day, work hard, do my best…and smile.”

It’s fair to say the Brazilian flyer is one of the success stories of the season.

Drafted in from PSG in January, Lucas only featured 11 times in all competitions last season as he became accustomed to a new life on and off the pitch.

He used that time well. This season, he’s been a star. Indeed, he’s only missed one of our 18 matches in all competitions – and even then, he was on the bench for our Carabao Cup win at West Ham – and responded with some dazzling displays. 

Lucas became only the fourth Brazilian to win the Premier League's EA SPORTS Player of the Month in August - the highlight, two goals in our 3-0 win against United at Old Trafford – and then caught the eye of national coach Tite, who called him back into the Selecao for the first time since the summer of 2016 for friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Argentina last month.

Now settled in London life, the winger reflected on his first few months of the season after training at Hotspur Way earlier this week.

“Life is beautiful,” beamed our popular number 27. “I play football and I love to play football. I have amazing friends here and the Club is amazing. 

“It’s a big opportunity for me to play in the Premier League, in the Champions League and to live in London.

 “I always believed that I would play and help my team-mates. I always work hard and that’s why I think the opportunity has come.

“I always said my objective is to help my team-mates, to show my capacity and help the Club to win. I try to improve each game.

“I enjoy life every day, I work hard, do my best…and I smile. 

“It’s not easy to get to have an opportunity like this so I need to enjoy it and as I said, I say thank-you every day.”

If it hadn’t before – remembering Lucas featured against Newport and Rochdale in the FA Cup last season - the reality of English football certainly struck before this international break as we took on seven games in 21 days.

Lucas played in six of those matches and admitted it's a schedule he’d not encountered before – he’ll have to get used to it as we’ve another 12 matches between 24 November and New Year’s Day!

“I’ve never done that before, no,” Lucas admitted. “It’s crazy – and they are all big games!

“It’s good and we know we always need to be ready. That’s why we prepare well for every game and I rest at home when I can. There are a lot of difficult games, physical games and I need to be ready, to look after myself, to rest and prepare.

“It wasn’t an easy month, lots of difficult games and I think we are doing well. I’m very proud of my team-mates.”