Marquinhos, the 31-year-old center back and captain of Paris Saint-Germain, opened the scoring on Wednesday evening during the 4-0 victory against Atalanta in the first matchday of the 2025-2026 Champions League. He scored his 10th goal in the competition, exactly 12 years after his first. This achievement establishes a significant record.
“10 – Marquinhos scored his 10th goal in the Champions League (all with Paris Saint-Germain), twelve years to the day after his first. No defender has scored more non-penalty goals in the competition during this period. Legendary.”
This is impressive, not only because of the timing, but also because this record reinforces the fact that Marquinhos belongs among the greats. Some have tried to undermine his reputation, but the Brazilian international clearly possesses the qualities to play at the highest level. This record demonstrates his ability to be decisive, in addition to his longevity. He had to overcome competition to earn playing time and score this many goals. We can only applaud him and hope he continues this form, with the added hope of winning the Champions League.
