Pacho, the pillar of PSG’s defense

Arriving at PSG during the summer of 2024, Willian Pacho quickly established himself as a key player in PSG’s defense. The Ecuadorian international even became the leader of the defense.

His arrival at PSG in the summer of 2024 happened almost unnoticed. With no rumors circulating about PSG’s interest in Willian Pacho, the Ecuadorian international joined PSG from Eintracht Frankfurt for 40 million euros. From his first steps on the field, he impressed everyone and became one of the favorites at the Parc des Princes. A regular starter, he is one of the most utilized players by Luis Enrique since his arrival in Paris. His presence reassures his teammates and he is seen as the leader of the defense despite his young age (24 years old). He is relentless in duels, with a success rate of 64% in aerial and ground duels combined. In ground duels alone, Pacho boasts a success rate of 74%, as reported by L’Equipe.

He defends by advancing

Number 51 of PSG stands out for his impeccable positioning and proactive attitude, allowing him to approach duels in the best possible way. He asserts himself and takes the initiative to defend by advancing as often as possible. To achieve this, he strives to stay in motion, ready to pounce on the ball carrier as soon as possible without straying from his position wisely, as analyzed by the sports daily. Willian Pacho combines his powerful support with remarkable lightness. This enables him to accelerate, change direction, turn around, and accelerate at will to ensure he stays in touch with his opponents before engaging in a duel or tackle, as praised by L’Equipe. Dominant in duels, Pacho has found in PSG under Luis Enrique the perfect environment to showcase his defensive qualities. He is now one of the strong elements of a team that allows ambitious football, being able to win his duels both high up on the pitch when losing the ball and in the wings to cover the numerous advances of Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi.