Willian Pacho is one of the players who quickly won over the Paris Saint-Germain fans. The 24-year-old Ecuadorian defender, who arrived in the summer of 2024 from Eintracht Frankfurt, could he earn the honorary title of “best defender in the club’s history”? That’s the question L’Equipe posed to Éric Rabésandratana, a former defender who played 135 matches for PSG between 1997 and 2001.
Rabésandratana: “He sometimes dives in and gets caught out in a challenge.”
“What impresses me is his mentality, his commitment in duels while remaining incredibly calm. But there’s a consistency to it: Pacho embodies quiet strength. He guarantees focus and solidity; he’s fearless.” He quickly understands what needs to be done and he goes for it. And what’s more, he’s incredibly efficient, solid on his feet, always well-positioned. He’s not perfect; he still has a few lapses, sometimes he dives in and gets caught out in a duel. But that’s because he’s used to winning it back 8 or 9 times out of 10, so yes, there’s one time when he gets caught out. With experience, he’ll correct that. Okay, I’m nitpicking here, because in truth, 98% of the time, he does things right.
Rabésandratana: “The guy came out of nowhere”
Another impressive element: his rapid integration. The guy came out of nowhere, hardly anyone knew him, and you get the impression he’s been there for years. Yet, as Luis Enrique says, it’s tough to arrive at a team like PSG, already established. He was well supported by Marquinhos, with whom he complements each other perfectly. He’s a fantastic signing to take over.
Where do I place him in history? It’s always difficult to compare eras and teams, and he’s only been here for a year and a half. If I had to make a comparison, he reminds me of Marquinhos because of his immediate adaptation. It felt like a natural fit.
Of course, Pacho can still improve. That’s to be expected at 24, and it’s true for any footballer. No one is perfect, not even our favorites. It’s also “normal” for a defender to be beaten sometimes; otherwise, matches would be rather dull in terms of goals. The key is that it should be particularly difficult and infrequent. Which already applies quite well to the Ecuadorian. Even if he does get caught out a few times when coming out to challenge the striker. There’s definitely room for improvement in his timing and decision-making. Even if it’s also PSG’s very attacking style that exposes him somewhat.
And, precisely, the former Frankfurt player is a real asset for Paris because he very often manages these situations. Thanks to his game sense, his aggression, his physical power, his speed, and his composure. These are valuable assets that he manages to use with astonishing consistency and after an incredibly rapid adaptation. Certainly, because he always knows how to be confident and keeps his cool. Perhaps there’s also a secret in his famous chewing gum, which he chews as calmly as his opponents.
In any case, it’s a superb recruitment success for PSG. Yet, the criticism quickly arose when they signed a player who had only spent one season in Frankfurt after a year in Belgium (at Royal Antwerp) following his arrival from Ecuador. All for around 40 million euros. But ultimately, it was for a player who perfectly complements Luis Enrique’s team. And many more years at the very highest level, hopefully a large part of them at PSG.
