When the Selecao's press corps received a release from the Brazilian Football Confederation with the official player numbers for Copa America, an innocuous PR moment became news thanks to the fact the name of Lucas Lima appeared beside the number 10. The decision to give that mythical shirt, one worn by legends like Pele, Zico and Rivaldo, to the Santos midfielder looked like a statement from Dunga that the 25-year-old will be promoted from the "12th man" role he had been occupying in the team so far.
More cynical observers will point out that Neymar's absence (the Barcelona player was omitted due to an agreement between the CBF and his club so that he could take part in the Rio Olympics) had forced Dunga's hand. It became a wrestling-style arm twist following the litany injuries to Douglas Costa, Luiz Gustavo and Kaka that further depleted the roster, but was there ever a better occasion for Lucas to be given a chance to show his mettle?
As part of an already very experimental squad, one that's peppered with young players who could be used in the Olympics and also tested in the rebuilding process towards Russia 2018, Lucas is the current "darling" in Brazilian football when the topic of discussion turns to "promessas" ("promising players").
Born in Marilia, a non-descript industrial town near São Paulo, in Southern Brazil, Lucas didn't seem destined for greatness after being released from the youth ranks of at least two regional clubs before finding shelter at minnows Limeira back in 2009. A trial at Racing Santander and a possible La Liga entry in 2011 didn't really work. Instead, it was at Santos FC, arguably Brazil's youth development club of the last decade (Robinho and Neymar, anyone?) that the boy finally flourished. He was signed in February 2014 after two lukewarm years at Internacional and a loan period at Northeastern giants, Sport.
The inevitable talk of a move to Europe soon started and it has since been revealed that Torino and Udinese tried to lure him to Serie A. Lucas was keen on a move but listened to parental advice.
"My father told me that money shouldn't be everything in life and that I needed to think properly. I chose the alternative that allowed me to both fight for titles and to aim for a place with the Selecao," says the midfielder.
He's definitely checked both boxes in that respect, having won back-to-back state titles with Santos and getting invitations to the national team. So far, he has been deployed in a kind of super-sub role by Dunga with the mission of changing the pace of the game as opponents tire. In Brazil's Copa America warm-up against Panama, Lucas didn't make the first XI: the manager opted for a 4-1-4-1 formation in which Willian and Philippe Coutinho were the speedy attackers selected to support Jonas up front.
In the same match Dunga offered a glimpse of what he could do with Lucas in the team, deploying him as the creative man in the middle of a 4-2-3-1, flanked by Elias and Renato Augusto. "Lucas is a player who knows to break lines," hinted the manager.
Ecuador, Brazil's first opponents at the Copa, could be the kind of opponent that would require this type of player. Despite their ultra-confident run in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying, few expect them to adopt a gung-ho strategy against the Selecao in Los Angeles. Even if they show a more daring approach, the presence of a good organiser in midfield could be important on the counter-attack.
"I don't know if I'm going to play and I still think I am trying to find my space in the group. Above all, I want to help the team win [the Copa America]," said the player earlier in the week.
Lucas is also attracting headlines related to his professional future. Brazilian media considers certain the possibility that Lucas will move away from Santos despite the club recently announcing a substantial pay rise. He has been linked to Real Madrid, Chelsea, PSG and even Everton, depending on which website or newspaper you read on a certain day. If the Selecao protocol demands bland answers whenever the subject comes to the fore, Lucas has previously never shied away from transfer talk.
"I have never pretended to anybody I didn't dream of playing." Neither has he been much worried about news regarding his social habits. The player has been photographed in a possible romance with Rafaela; that's Neymar's sister, just so you know.
Brazil's Copa America will depend a lot on people stepping up in Neymar's absence. For players like Lucas Lima, it could be a golden opportunity to get some cred with Dunga at times where there is a reformulation in the squad and the need for new blood, especially when it comes to players not linked to the Selecao recent failures.
All in all, it looks like the stage is set for the boy from Marilia. Whether he gets anything more than a guest spot in the U.S. remains to be seen but it looks like the understudy is ready to seize an opportunity.