Willian Pacho, Paris Saint-Germain’s 23-year-old defender since his summer transfer from Eintracht Francort, opened up in a lengthy interview with Carré. He talks about his arrival, his playing time, his partners and his career path. He also talks about his dreams and goals.
Pacho: “I try to do my best”.
You’re the big surprise at Paris Saint-Germain this summer, and you’re also surprised that things are going so well and so quickly ?
When I’m recruited, I try to do my best.
But in your head, did you think you’d be in the 11 ?
No, not in the 11, but I knew I had to work hard to be able to play. And the truth is that everything is going well and there have been some good results. We have a good points lead and that’s important for us.
Pacho “Last season, I played almost every game.
Yes, but things are moving very fast for you, and two years ago you were playing in Ecuador. It goes fast!
Yes, the truth is that in Belgium those were my first steps, and the truth is that I learned a lot there. It was a bit difficult, especially because of the cold, because it was a radical change, the climate, the food, the people, the language… These are things that really affected me, it’s really hard.
But I learned a lot, a lot of people helped me and it went well. The club was incredible, we were champions and I left in the best possible way for Frankfurt to spend a season there.
You’re the player who played the most!
Yes. Last season, I played almost every game.
And quite well too!
Yes, I think I was pretty good, and I like that a lot. I was happy, I don’t really know why, but it made sense for me to come here.
Pacho “I was delighted to come here”.
How did you choose Paris and what were the possibilities?
I was in Ecuador with my family, in a quiet place. My agent came to discuss the possibilities. And he told me that he had come to Paris and that made me very happy, because I didn’t know what it was all about. I hope it happens. Yes, but I was pretty quiet there. Then things progressed, and it all came together quite quickly, and I was delighted. And when I realized it was possible, I was delighted to come here.
Pacho “I see things you can’t imagine”.
Tell me about your coach Luis Enrique. Did you talk to him before you came? What did he tell you? Because he trusts you a lot. He’s the second player with the most minutes behind Achraf Hakimi. For a new recruit, you have your coach’s complete trust…
The truth is, he’s a very good person. When I arrived, he spoke to me about the structure, the game and what I needed to know. That freed me up a bit, I was more at ease, it took a bit of pressure off me. As a coach, he’s very good, you can’t imagine how good. I see things you can’t imagine.
For example ?
He doesn’t talk much, but he knows exactly how to lead. In other words, he knows how to do things precisely, and that has an impact on you. It’s like in a play: when you have an idea of what’s going to happen, it helps you anticipate events better.
So you’re better prepared to face certain situations. And that’s something I really appreciate. I’m really pleased to see these qualities in my coach. I respect him a lot.
Pacho “I want to win every competition”.
You like duels, you like good duels with a good number 9.
The truth is that the team needs to win a lot of duels, to get the ball back quickly. To always be there, to make an impact. I didn’t take it the best way. I come from Independiente del Valle, where I’ve always worked a lot with the ball, possession, a purely defensive style, defending well, covering. These are aspects that I perfected over there.
I learned that these are details that very few teams work on, so it really helped me a lot. I’ve always continued to train in that direction, as have all my team-mates. It’s helped me a lot here to be a better player, especially in defense, in duels, and to stay solid. The team has helped me a lot at this level.
You’re the PSG defender who wins the most duel points and the truth is, I don’t see a 23-year-old. What’s your biggest personal goal?
Yes, I’ve always had personal goals on the same level as my collective ones. For example, I dream of winning the Champions League and a title with my national team. Of course, I want to win titles like Ligue 1, the French Cup and all the other competitions.
Pacho “Thiago Silva is a great player”.
And on a personal level, do you also aim to be a new Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva. The number 1 ?
For example, Thiago Silva is a great player, and I love him very much, but he’s Thiago Silva. I’m Willian. I’m looking to progress little by little, to grow as a person and as a player, to become the best version of myself while forging my own path.
Pacho “There’s nothing like having good relationships”.
Are you in competition with two world champions and French internationals, Lucas Hernandez and Presnel Kimpembe ?
Yes, they’re really great. Honestly, I didn’t expect them to be so benevolent. The truth is that since I arrived, I’ve really appreciated their attitude as a person, and the way they’ve welcomed me, helping me to learn and progress, competing healthily and positively.
At the moment, we’re playing very often, there are a lot of games, and I know that in the end, we’ll need the whole team, the whole group, and for that we’re all ready. There’s nothing like having good relationships, you’re a camaraderie, a family spirit, to invent everything that happens in the games we’re going to play.
Pacho “I’m very happy here, very happy indeed”.
What was your dominant view of PSG before you arrived, and has it changed since you’ve been here ?
In general, what you know about Paris is the city itself, but I didn’t really know what it was like regarding the team, I didn’t know what to expect, how it was going to happen. But honestly, it was incredible. As people and the way they treat us here…
I’m very happy here, really very happy, because here I’ve found a lot of things that I really appreciate point and things that honestly aren’t found everywhere, and I appreciate it a lot, because you don’t always find this friendship with this great camaraderie, surrounded by great people who are always ready to help.
Dembélé asks Pacho to show his new dance.
Impossible this video. One step? Okay. (He dances)
What kind of dance is it ?
Salsa choke. It’s more equatorial, Colombian. We just dance really well.
Pacho “Ousmane is a great person”.
Tell me about these guys, it’s star who you live with every day, Ousmane, who is a fabulous guy, who creates danger all the time.
Ousmane is a great person, you know… He’s always there to joke around, make jokes, chat with me. He’s always complaining that I’m after him in training, but I always try to follow the right player who’s going to help me progress.
He always says I hit him, but I never touch him. He’s really an incredible person who speaks Spanish, so we talk a lot over meals, and we get on really well.
Pacho “As captain, he’s very kind, involved and never neglects anything”.
You seem to get on very well with Marquinhos.
Yes, I get on very well with Marqui. Things are going really well with him, he’s always there, and it’s important that he’s always with us because he speaks very well and always tries to make us feel at ease. As captain, he’s very kind, involved and never neglects anything.
It’s one thing to hear him speak, but it’s another thing to experience him: the way he is, the way he expresses himself, everything he does, you feel it and that makes all the difference. He’s always the same: warlike, smiling, and that’s something you have to value because not everyone is as good or as charismatic, so I’m very happy to have him. He helps me train, adapt, enjoy and have fun, because it’s important to live life to the full.
Pacho « Warren est incroyable, Joao et Barcola sont des joueurs incroyables »
Comment analyses-tu le projet du Paris Saint-Germain ? Très jeune.
Je les observe tous les jours, et ce sont tous de très bons joueurs. Warren est incroyable, Joao et Barcola sont des joueurs incroyables. Je me régale sur le terrain. J’ai de la chance, parce que la façon dont ils jouent, ce qu’ils font m’excite énormément.
Chaque fois que je les vois à l’entraînement, les choses qu’ils font sont exceptionnelles et ils sont toujours prêts à aller travailler pour l’équipe. Ils jouent toujours pour l’équipe, pas seulement pour eux.
Ça me rend enthousiaste pour le présent et l’avenir. Parce que je sais que nous allons faire de très belles choses. Maintenant, il faut continuer à travailler pour réaliser ses rêves et nous savons quels sont nos objectifs.
Pacho “We have a great team even if we lacked success”.
Why are you doing so much better in the league than in the Champions League? Where does this problem of realism come from, and how do you see this final against City, and this duel against Erling Haaland ?
Yes, the truth is that the league is very competitive, and match after match we have to stay at the highest level, otherwise our opponents will come back at us.
But as I said recently about soccer, there are times when we deserved to win, but it comes down to little details which I’m sure will turn out in our favor, because we’ve worked very, very well. We’ve got a great team, even if we weren’t successful enough.
I swear we’re doing our best, even if it hasn’t paid off so far, and for the two games we’ve got left I’m sure we’ll qualify without any problems, because things are going very well in Ligue 1, as you say, it’s very good and we’re staying the same, which is why things will go well in the Champions League.
Pacho “No, I’m not afraid. I respect him and his teammates.
Are you afraid of the Viking ?
No, I’m not afraid, I respect him and his team-mates, all the people, and he’s a great player, of a very high level, and it’s even a pleasure to play against him. And to win would be great, to continue to play well to win, especially this match.
