Cap or not cap? Marquinhos, designated as the successor of Thiago Silva, at the end of the contract, to wear the captain's armband next season, does he have the character to take on this charge?
The 26-year-old Brazilian, in his fortnight since this Saturday in Saint-Tropez (Var), has already fulfilled this role since his arrival at PSG in 2013. His first, as holder, dates back to September 2017. In the process, he was even become the youngest captain of the Brazilian selection in the 21st century.
View this post on Instagram
Vamo ali pegar um solzin! ☀️ Let's go to get some sun! ☀️ 👊👊
A post shared by Luan Aoás Corrêa (@luanaoas) on Jun 6, 2020 at 11:44 am PDT
Vice-captain, he takes over from Thiago Silva as soon as the opportunity arises, like the last Champions League match against Dortmund in March. Still, can the much more demanding full-time captain's suit suit this player the fans love? For José Pierre-Fanfan and Alain Roche, two former defenders and captains of the PSG whom we consulted, there is no doubt.
"He is respected and people want to follow him"
To lead the troops, Marquinhos can rely on his natural charisma. "In terms of soul, positive aggressiveness, he gives off something naturally which makes him take his companions behind him", appreciates José Pierre-Fanfan. Even felt on the side of Alain Roche: "I find that it gives off - I do not know if it is leadership - but something that makes it imposing by its performance and by its personality always very calm, very measured. It is important for a captain. "
His lucidity in his post-match speeches also pleads for him. "He always has perspective," says Roche. He is capable of assuming a poor performance or of being measured in euphoria. "The former defender of the Blues adds:" After, I do not know if in the locker room he has a voice that carries as much as an Ibra (Ibrahimovic) . I do not believe. It's not his style. But I am convinced that it is respected and that people want to follow it. You don't have to be a shouts to be a captain, that's what I mean. To be respected, you have to be flawless. And there is not an ounce of criticism to be made about this boy. He knows how to highlight his stars in his declarations, without offending others. He is always at the service of the collective. "
View this post on Instagram
🇫🇷 5 more years with the colors of our PSG. A dream that becomes reality day by day! Thank you to my family, thank you PSG and thank you to the supporters for the confidence, we are continuing the adventure together ... Je t'aime PARIS ❤️💙 | 🇧🇷 But 5 anos com as cores do nosso PSG. Um sonho que concrétiza dia após dia! Obrigado família, obrigado PSG e obrigado aos torcedores pela confiança, continuaremos nossa aventura juntos ... Eu te amo PARIS ❤️💙
A post shared by Marcos Aoás Corrêa (@ marquinhosm5) on Jan 13, 2020 at 1:36 pm PST
And Roche concludes: "In a locker room, not everyone is necessarily listening, but he, when he speaks, at least he calls out. In any case, me, he would challenge me. "
PSG Express
The essential newsletter for Parisian supportersI'm registering
Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more
When it comes to evoking the possibility of seeing Marquinhos take the armband, Roche and Pierre-Fanfan assure that he has "the legitimacy". Alain Roche underlines his “irreproachable” behavior, particularly during confinement. "He was the last to go to Brazil, he is the first to return," he said of the defender's return to France on June 3. An attitude also underlined by José Pierre-Fanfan: “He shows the example. He did not wait for PSG to send him a summons. He has that side of him that makes him a born leader. "
"He's an exemplary player"
These qualities are also found in the field. “It is legitimate by its performance, notes Roche. This is what you first expect from a soccer player. Whether in the midfield or behind, this is an example for everyone. Pierre-Fanfan abounds: "He is an exemplary player, invested".
This last point sets the limit for Marquinhos' future success. “What is absolutely not necessary, warns Pierre-Fanfan, is that the investment he will put - because he is someone committed, who will take it to heart - take the not on its performance. We have to find the right balance. But it would really take an accident for it to explode. He is able to bear this pressure and to play this role. "
For Alain Roche, the choice to appoint Marquinhos captain is "obvious". “It would be the worst thing to entrust the armband to someone else with the departure of Thiago Silva. That would make a frustrated, a dissatisfied person who would say to himself: why they do this to me when I have been blameless ? "
As Pierre-Fanfan points out, Marquinhos "has been investing like a captain for one or even two seasons". "You can tell he wants this role," he says. And the question is: if not him, who? "After citing and dismissing the candidacies of Navas, Mbappé or Neymar, Pierre-Fanfan believes that" in what he will release in terms of serenity, on and off the field, the choice of Marquinhos seems the most square . He has been at the club for seven years. So it does more than control the environment. ”
Alain Roche is just as definitive: "Leonardo announced it when he returned in June 2019: Marquinhos is the figurehead of PSG. We didn't wait for Thiago Silva to stop to tell himself that he was next. "
