Luis Guilherme

Luis Guilherme Lira dos Santos (born 9 February 2006) is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a midfielder for club West Ham United.

Palmeiras
Born in Aracaju, Luis Guilherme played in numerous soccer schools in his hometown before joining Palmeiras in 2017. He signed his first professional contract with the club in June 2022. In January 2022, Luis Guilherme was part of the squad that won the 2022 Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior for the first time. He renewed his contract in November 2023, with an increased salary and a release clause of €55 million.

Luis Guilherme made his first team debut on 12 April 2023, coming on as a second-half substitute for José Manuel López in a 4–2 home win over Tombense, for the year's Copa do Brasil. On 24 April 2024, he scored his first goal for Palmeiras, in the 96th minute, securing a 3–2 away win over Independiente del Valle during the 2024 Copa Libertadores group stage.

West Ham United
In June 2024, he underwent a medical with English Premier League club West Ham United with a view to a transfer. On 13 June 2024, the club announced that they had agreed the signing of Guilherme on a five-year contract, the transfer being finalised the following day when the transfer window opened.

International career
He was called up to the Brazil U17 for the 2022 Montaigu Tournament, where he scored three goals in four games and helped Brazil win the tournament after 38 years. Luis Guilherme was later called up to the Brazil U20 for the 2023 South American U-20 Championship, being the youngest player of the Brazil U20 squad in the 21st century. Luis Guilherme played in five matches, totaling 191 minutes, contributing to Brazil's first U20 South American Championship title in 12 years and securing a spot in the FIFA U-20 World Cup after an eight-year absence.

Style of play
A technical midfielder with good on-field decision making, Luis Guilherme is renowned for his pace, clocking a top speed of 36.4km/h in the 2022 Copa do Brasil Sub-17 final against Vasco da Gama. He lists Argentine legend Lionel Messi and Rivaldo as inspirations to him. On 11 October 2023, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2006 worldwide, alongside Palmeiras teammates Endrick and Vitor Reis.

Honours

 * Palmeiras
 * Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2023
 * Campeonato Paulista: 2024
 * Supercopa do Brasil runner-up: 2024
 * Brazil U20
 * U-20 South American Championship: 2023