Lucas Da Cunha played his first international match for the French national team on Monday against Belgium in the UEFA Nations League, under the guidance of coach Zinedine Zidane, shining once again among global football fans following his impressive performances with Como in recent seasons. However, a single moment changed his career path in 2022.
Logistical glitch hinders Da Cunha's transfer to Lorient
Da Cunha's career could have taken a completely different trajectory; in September 2022, he was on the verge of signing for Lorient, but the deal fell through at the last minute due to a logistical error.
The player, who graduated from Rennes' academy and was playing for Nice, did not get a real opportunity at that time, having featured in only 11 matches. Following his standout performance during a six-month loan spell with Clermont Foot, he caught the attention of Lorient officials in the summer of 2022.
Lorient wanted to strengthen their squad with a group of young players, as stated by a former club official to "RMC Sport" network: "We signed Adil Aouchiche and Crislan Matzima at the time. We were focusing on this profile: looking for a young player with high technical skill, and Lucas met these criteria."
Lucas was about to join Lorient, but a logistical issue prevented it, as his transfer file was submitted 32 seconds after the summer transfer window closed.
32 seconds created a different path for the France star
The former club official clarified what happened, saying: "We submitted the documents 32 seconds late, but it was Nice who wasted time during that evening. It seems to me that their printer ran out of ink."
Due to a difference of just a few seconds, Lorient failed to register Lucas Da Cunha's signing in time via the French Professional Football League system. The club representative added: "He was greatly disappointed not to sign for Lorient."
Lucas later moved to Italian side Como in January 2023, driven by coach Cesc Fàbregas' belief in his abilities. He lived up to his Spanish coach's expectations, becoming a key pillar in the Italian team, where he wears the captain's armband, and participated in the Champions League with the start of the new season.
That unsuccessful experience gave him another chance, which may have been the best step in his career, allowing him to catch the eye of Zinedine Zidane, the new coach of the French national team, taking his first steps with Les Bleus during the current international break.
