Willian Pacho’s quiet authority in Munich underlines his rise at PSG | OneFootball

Willian Pacho has hit a new gear at the top without changing how he defends. The PSG centre-back’s calm, reading of the game and consistency have made him indispensable.

In Munich on 6 May, the Champions League semi-final second leg finished 1-1 after a 5-4 first leg. According to L'Équipe, he won seven of eight duels and took man of the match, with one club figure suggesting he had Harry Kane under control.

Inside Paris, his value was recognised long before that night in Munich. He has been viewed for months as one of the most reliable and complete centre-backs, perhaps the best in his position, yet wider recognition lagged. Despite PSG’s European triumph last year, he was not among the 30 Ballon d’Or nominees after arriving from Frankfurt in 2024.

Pacho, 24, plays with understatement. He anticipates, positions himself superbly and smothers danger early, rarely celebrating or seeking contact. Former Independiente del Valle coach Renato Paiva recalls a defender so quick and clean on the ball, and so perceptive, that he often did not need to engage.

Team-mates describe an extremely calm, intelligent presence who leads by example. His only real misstep in Paris came at the Club World Cup, a 2-0 quarter-final loss to Bayern, when he was sent off for a late challenge on Leon Goretzka amid heavy fatigue. At Royal Antwerp, former recruitment chief Joachim Vercaigne viewed Munich as confirmation rather than revelation.

With Arsenal awaiting in Budapest on Saturday at 18:00, some around PSG feel that if all goes well it would be a crowning moment. True to character, Pacho downplays talk of being the world’s best, crediting the team and the help of Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes.

Source: L'Équipe