Ecuadorian soccer could be on the verge of reaching an unprecedented milestone: Willian Pacho, central defender for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), is just two games away from becoming the first Ecuadorian-born player to lift the UEFA Champions League, the most coveted trophy in European club soccer.
PSG’s qualification to the semifinals of the 2024-2025 Champions League, after beating FC Barcelona 6-4 on aggregate, has opened a historic door for the 23-year-old defender from Quinindé, Esmeraldas province.
From Quinindé to the big leagues of Europe
Willian Joel Pacho Tenorio has had a meteoric rise in his career.
He made his debut at Independiente del Valle, a club known for its elite youth system, and soon made the leap to Europe to join Belgian club Royal Antwerp.
In 2023, his defensive solidity attracted the attention of Eintracht Frankfurt, and in 2024, PSG closed his signing in a deal valued at more than €30 million.
Since his arrival at the Parisian club, Pacho has been a recurring starter and a key player in Luis Enrique’s defensive system, standing out for his speed, aerial strength and ability to anticipate.
“Ecuador has a different mentality”
The moment that Willian Pacho is living has not gone unnoticed by another icon of Ecuadorian soccer: Antonio Valencia.
In 2011, Valencia was a starter in the Champions League final with Manchester United, although his team lost to Messi, Xavi and Iniesta’s FC Barcelona 3-1.
In an interview with the EFE news agency, the former player expressed his full support for Pacho:
“I wish him all the luck in the world. It would be an achievement not only for him, but for the whole country,” said Valencia, an ambassador for UEFA sponsor Enterprise Rent-A-Player’s “Rent-A-Player” campaign.
Antonio Valencia, considered by many to be the best Ecuadorian soccer player of all time, pointed out that Pacho is not the only one shining in Europe.
He also praised:
Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea)
Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen)
Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton)
For Valencia, this generation has transformed the international vision of Ecuadorian players:
“Today the Ecuadorian player is better prepared, physically and mentally. We are seeing the fruits of an evolution that began with the qualifiers for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.”
What does this mean for Ecuador and its people?
The possibility of seeing a compatriot lifting the “Orejona” after decades of collective effort, training clubs and struggle for opportunities, is a source of pride for millions of Ecuadorians, both within the country and in the diaspora residing in the United States, Spain and Italy.
In particular, the Hispanic community in the U.S., where European soccer has a growing audience, watches with enthusiasm the progress of players like Pacho, who inspire new generations of Latino children who dream of following in their footsteps.
What’s next for Pacho
Buzzy
PSG will face Borussia Dortmund, a young but tough team, in the semifinals.
If they advance, the French could find themselves in the final against giants such as Manchester City or Real Madrid.
If they achieve it, Willian Pacho would enter history as the first Ecuadorian to win the UEFA Champions League, something that neither Antonio Valencia, nor Álex Aguinaga, nor Édison Méndez, nor other greats of national soccer could achieve.
An entire country accompanies the player.
The countdown has already begun.
Le deseo toda la suerte del mundo. Sería un logro no solo para él, sino para todo el país
Antonio Valencia, exfutbolista ecuatoriano
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