Born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, João Lucas had failed trials at Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro before joining Villa Nova's youth setup in 2015.

[2][3] He made his senior debut on 22 February of that year, starting in a 2–0 Campeonato Carioca home loss against Fluminense.

[5][6] Initially a backup to Rafinha, he made his club – and Série A – debut on 12 June, replacing Rodinei late into a 2–0 away win over CSA.

João Lucas scored his first goal for Flamengo on 25 January 2020, netting the equalizer in a 3–2 home win over Volta Redonda.

On 7 January 2025, Grêmio announced an agreement with João Lucas for a three-year contract, subject to medical examinations.