Paulo César, a former defender and midfielder with Paris Saint-Germain (2002-2007), has been on the PSG U19 women’s staff since 2020 (assistant until 2023, then head coach). He took things a step further this summer, signing a contract as first-team coach until 2027, after taking charge of the Arkéma Première Ligue play-offs following Fabrice Abriel’s dismissal. Speaking to PSG, the Brazilian confided in us about this new step.
Paulo César “there was sincerity between the players and me, and I hope to be able to continue that continuity.”
“How do you feel about officially becoming coach of the PSG women’s team?
“I’m very happy and proud to be appointed coach of the Paris Saint-Germain women’s section. I can’t wait to get started in this new role! There’s a lot of continuity from the very end of last season. Everything went very well with the players, particularly on a human level. It will still take time to fully implement what we want. But there was sincerity between the players and myself, and I hope to be able to maintain that continuity.
As a former Paris Saint-Germain player, we can imagine that these are great moments to experience?
These are emotions that we experience without being able to explain them! To be able to coach a PSG pro team, at the Parc des Princes, after having been a Paris Saint-Germain player, is something exceptional. It was an incredible opportunity. But the most important thing was the result. And the fact that everyone was there, the players, the fans… It was a proud moment.
Paulo César “I try to bring the two aspects together so that everything runs smoothly.”
What values do you want to pass on to your players?
The group is the first value. The collective is the most important thing. The collective will be the driving force behind this project. And I’m Brazilian, so I like creative play, so I’m going to set up a project that has this dual culture. The French tactical rigor, and then the creative aspect, of overcoming function, that I was able to learn in Brazil… I’m trying to bring the two aspects together so that everything goes well, and so far, everything has always gone well!
What goals have you set for the group?
The objective is to win. It’s in the DNA of Paris Saint-Germain. We’re going to strive to be competitive, to have a group that tries to offer an attractive game, with a lot of enthusiasm and determination. And with the desire to go for the titles!”
It’s easy to imagine that these are big feelings for Paulo César. Not least because he spent several years of his playing career at PSG, where he forged some pretty strong ties. He then returned to coach the women’s team. He climbed the ladder with patience and hard work.
It’s a great reward for his work and a new milestone in his coaching career. That’s no mean feat. What’s more, there’s an undoubtedly exciting project. Paris has ambition, but has struggled to find stability in the management of both the dressing room and the game. It’s a beautiful and difficult mission.
Paulo César’s first few weeks in charge have made this clear, and he is banking on a good mentality. We need a healthy, positive atmosphere. When he replaced Fabrice Abriel, he insisted on “fun” in training and in matches. A point much emphasized by the players at the time.
This suggests that his message has gone down well, and that an interesting bond has already been forged. This is encouraging for the future, even if managing a full season is, of course, different. We also need to develop the game. Here too, the early stages have been promising. There’s still a lot of work to be done, and the team will have to find a balance between rigour and creativity. Let’s hope Paulo César succeeds in establishing his philosophy and formula. We can only wish him every success in this adventure, which is so close to his heart. A final point that could also change from his predecessor.
