Willian Pacho: Who is the former Eintracht Frankfurt defender heading to Paris Saint-Germian?
Willian Pacho was one of the unsung heroes of the 2023/24 Bundesliga season before his move to Paris Saint-Germain. bundesliga.com has the lowdown on the former Frankfurt centre-back...
Stats correct as of 9 August 2024
Age: 22 (born 16 October 2001)
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Position: Central defender
Country: Ecuador (16 caps/ two goals)
Key stats
Pacho had become the bedrock of the Frankfurt defence in no time at all. A summer 2023 signing from Royal Antwerp, the 6'1" centre-back started 42 of their 45 competitive games in 2023/24, including 33 of 34 in the Bundesliga. The left-footed Ecuadorian ranked 14th league wide for challenges won (325), and fourth in the Eintracht charts for passes completed (87.17 percent). He's also helped sixth-placed Frankfurt record seven clean sheets, while their 50 goals conceded was the sixth-lowest tally in the division.
Pacho's seamless transition perhaps isn't all that much of a surprise. He was a virtual ever-present for an Antwerp side that won a league and cup double in 2022/23, only missing one of 40 fixtures across the two competitions. Prior to his two-season stay in Belgium, the former Frankfurt No.3 got his hands on the 2018/19 Copa Sudamericana and 2021 Ecuadorian championship with Independiente del Valle, as well as the 2018/19 U20 Copa Libertadores. He has been a fully-fledged senior international since March 2023, playing the full 90 minutes in Ecuador's first six 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers as well as all four of their 2024 Copa America matches as they suffered the agony of a quarter-final exit to Argentina on penalties.
Plays a bit like: Evan Ndicka
A left-sided central defender with superb spatial awareness, inch-perfect passing skills and a tackling game that's been honed to perfection, Pacho was a tailor-made replacement for his Frankfurt predecessor Evan Ndicka, now of Roma. He also has the technical nous to be able to play out from the back, and the pace to stay touch-tight to speedy opposition players.
Did you know?
Pacho came through the same Independiente del Valle academy that produced Bayer Leverkusen counterpart Piero Hincapié and Chelsea and Ecuador midfielder Moisés Caicedo.
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What they're saying
"He's doing a great job, and is getting better all the time. He's really reliable and has world-class potential." - Frankfurt head coach Dino Toppmöller
"Willian is a very clever player, who listens well and is quick to implement what's asked of him. His speed and strength in the tackle are what make him stand out." - Markus Krösche, Frankfurt sporting director
"Willian made a major contribution to our successful season last season. He is an exceptional defender whose rapid development is no surprise to us. We wish him all the best. He will always be a welcome guest here in Frankfurt." - Krösche after Pacho's departure
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