Barring any surprises, Marquinhos will become the player who has worn the Paris Saint-Germain jersey most often against Barça on Wednesday. His departure cannot be done in a casual manner.
Arriving for 31 million euros at PSG on July 19, 2013, he was 18 years old at the time, the Brazilian defender who was coming off a single season at AS Rome probably had no idea that eleven years later he was preparing to join in the history of the capital club. Saturday evening, coming into play against Clermont in the second half, Marquinhos played his 435th match in the Paris Saint-Germain jersey, joining Jean-Marc Pilorget, who was also a PSG defender but between 1975 and 1989. And nothing leaves no doubt that the Brazilian international will be at the top of this ranking on Wednesday evening at the Parc des Princes when the Champions League quarter-final between PSG and FC Barcelona kicks off. Even if he went through good and bad times in Paris, Marquinos, captain of Luis Enrique, will therefore become a legend. And Jean-Marc Pilorget appreciates giving his place to such a player.
❤️ 💙
Our captain Marquinhos joins Jean-Marc Pilorget in the ranking of the most capped players with Paris Saint-Germain. 🔝
4️⃣3️⃣5️⃣ matches played under the Red and Blue colors for our captain! 🔥 #Marqui435 pic.twitter.com/qpFvziUzah
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) April 6, 2024
Aged 65, the French defender has no problem seeing Marquinhos move ahead of him in the ranking of PSG’s most capped players, even if his career had been on hold for a year and a half after a serious road accident. “ It had to happen ! I wouldn’t have had this thought ten years ago. But when I saw Marquinhos’ career, it was a certainty for me that he would end up getting closer to this mark and succeed in beating my record (…) I am quite proud to see him at the top of this hierarchy players who have played the greatest number of matches with PSG. I’m happy that a guy like that achieved this great feat. », points out Jean-Marc Pilorget, in Le Parisien.
Marquinhos will leave with a bang
And even if Marquinhos still has four years of contract with the French champions, the former player knows when the 29-year-old Brazilian will pack his bags: “ I was told that he played his first match with PSG in the Champions League, against Olympiakos (September 17, 2013), and that he scored that day. So, when we saw each other recently, I told him: I think your last match with PSG will be in the Champions League final and it’s you who will score the winning goal. And there, you can leave with your head held high. » There is no doubt that on Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s side we would be excited at the idea of seeing Marquinhos end up like this in Paris.