Adil Rami, former French international defender and 2018 World Cup winner — who notably played for Lille and Sevilla FC — shared his thoughts on Willian Pacho on Ligue 1+. According to the now football analyst, the 24-year-old Paris Saint-Germain and Ecuador defender still has something to add before he can truly be considered among the very best in the world.
Adil Rami: “It’s very important for a centre-back to be able to command his defence.”
“For me, he’s not the best centre-back in the world because he still has Marquinhos next to him.
To be the best centre-back in the world, you need to be able to manage the entire defence. It’s very important for a centre-back to dominate his backline through communication and experience. Right now, Pacho is an excellent defender who’s among the top 10 in his position, but he still has room to grow. We’ll have to see the day he takes charge of this Parisian defence.”
Indeed, despite Pacho’s impressive level of play, he remains relatively quiet when it comes to showing leadership — at least from what can be seen during matches. It’s worth remembering that even Marquinhos (31), often criticized from the outside, has always been praised internally by teammates and staff alike.
At just 24 years old, Pacho is still young, and it’s perfectly normal for him to have areas to improve. He still has plenty of time to develop and mature as a leader. And for now, with Marquinhos wearing the captain’s armband, there’s no urgent need for him to take on more responsibility.
The Ecuadorian international continues to perform at a very high level and has already played a key role in PSG’s Champions League triumph. There’s no need to rush — perhaps one day, when Marquinhos moves on, Pacho will naturally step up as the team’s defensive leader.
