1. Lucas Pratto then moved to Brazil, playing for Atletico Mineiro and Sao Paulo, before returning to Argentina for River Plate in 2018, with whom he won the Copa Libertadores title later that year.
28 Facts About Lucas Pratto
1. 2.
Lucas Pratto was born in La Plata, where he lived most of his early life in the Altos de San Lorenzo neighborhood.
3.
Lucas Pratto started playing in local club Gimnasia of the Los Hornos neighborhood and was rejected by the youth ranks of Estudiantes de La Plata before eventually making it into the Defensores de Cambaceres youth team, where his brother then played.
4.
Product of Defensores de Cambaceres lower divisions, Lucas Pratto joined Argentine club Boca Juniors in 2006, after a recommendation by Martin Palermo.
5.
Between 2008 and 2009 Lucas Pratto made 21 league appearances and scored four goals for Lyn.
6.
Lucas Pratto then returned to Argentina in mid-2009 to join Boca's first-team squad, then coached by Alfio Basile.
7.
On 29 June 2010 Lucas Pratto joined Chile's Universidad Catolica on loan from Boca, this time as part of Gary Medel's contract extension negotiation.
8.
Lucas Pratto had an impressive season start in 2011 when he scored six Copa Libertadores goals and six league goals, which allowed him be sold by Boca to Italian Serie A side Genoa for a US$2,4 million fee.
9.
Lucas Pratto joined the Genovese club on 30 June 2011, being described months before by the club's president Enrico Preziosi as the team's new Diego Milito.
10.
Lucas Pratto made an attacking partnership with Rodrigo Palacio, but coach Alberto Malesani, by whom he was selected for the first squad, was fired in December 2011.
11.
Since that time Lucas Pratto failed to play the rest of season, being relegated to the bench by the team's next coaches.
12.
On 7 February 2012 it was reported that Lucas Pratto had joined Velez Sarsfield in a season-long loan deal, with the option to be fully signed by the Argentine club.
13.
Lucas Pratto made a partnership with Facundo Ferreyra, and played a key role appearing in all 19 games and scoring seven goals.
14.
On 16 December 2014, Lucas Pratto joined Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro on a four-year contract.
15.
Atletico were eventually crowned champions of the competition, with Lucas Pratto finishing with six goals and being selected for the team of the tournament and as its best player.
16.
Lucas Pratto still holds this record as the club's highest-ever foreign goalscorer, with 42 goals.
17.
On 10 February 2017, Lucas Pratto signed a four-year contract with Brazilian club Sao Paulo FC.
18.
Lucas Pratto scored two goals in the 2018 Copa Libertadores finals against Boca Juniors, once in each leg, helping River to the title.
19.
On 27 August 2021, Lucas Pratto returned to Velez Sarsfield, with a contract valid until December 2023.
20.
Lucas Pratto received his first international call-up for Argentina on 12 August 2016, for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Uruguay and Venezuela.
21.
Lucas Pratto started for the national team for the first time in the match against Uruguay on 1 September 2016, and scored his first goal against Venezuela on 7 September.
22.
Lucas Pratto has an unusually fast pace for a player with 1.88m, and frequently floats outside the box to assist other players.
23.
Lucas Pratto has been praised for his technique, ball control, and link-up play.
24.
Tactically, Lucas Pratto has not usually been deployed as a target man centre forward throughout most of his career, as is commonly the case for a player with a strong physique; he has normally played as a striker or second striker.
25.
Lucas Pratto was raised by his mother Daniela, helped by his older brother Leandro.
26.
Lucas Pratto has one daughter, Pia, born in 2010, and has tattoos portraying her and his mother.
27.
Lucas Pratto is an avid fan of The Simpsons, has tattoos of both Homer and Bart, and an English bulldog named Santa's Little Helper.
28.
Lucas Pratto has stated that he is a Boca Juniors supporter.