Thiago Silva is a former Brazilian international who plays as a centre back for Fluminense.
Having risen to prominence while on the books of AC Milan, he captained Paris Saint-Germain during an era of unprecedented success for the French club. He then moved to London to play for Chelsea in 2020.
He won seven Ligue 1 titles and five Coup de France with PSG, at AC Milan he won the Serie A and at Chelsea he lifted the Champions League trophy.
Silva has also been a stalwart for the Brazil national team, making a 113 caps and scoring seven goals. With his national side he won the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2019 Copa America.
After three successful years at AC Milan, which saw Silva pick up the 2010/11 Serie A title, the Brazilian centre-back joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2012.
The transfer negotiations took some time, but eventually, for a reported fee of around €42million, then PSG boss Carlo Ancelotti got his man.
Thiago Silva signing for PSG 2012
Silva insisted he never pushed for a move to PSG, but reports suggested that AC Milan had to sell him in order to balance their books. His departure, along with that of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, proved a turning point for Milan and they did not win another Serie A title throughout the duration of Silva's eight-year stint at PSG.
Silva, by contrast, immediately began picking up silverware. After a brief spell on the sidelines due to injury, he burst onto the scene and received plaudits all round for his performances for PSG. Silva was made captain by Ancelotti upon the recommendation of Ibrahimovic.
Silva picked up an incredible seven Ligue 1 titles in eight seasons during his spell at Paris Saint-Germain. The only season in which they missed out was 2016/17, when they finished second behind Monaco.
At the end of the 2019/20 season, Silva captained Paris Saint-Germain against Bayern Munich as the French club appeared in the UEFA Champions League final for the first time. Bayern won 1-0 thanks to a 59th-minute winner from Kingsley Coman, who previously played for PSG alongside Silva. Although he was on the losing side, Silva had the honour of becoming the first Brazilian to captain a team in the Champions League final.
Silva's contract expired at the end of the season and with the French club only offering the possibility of a two-month extension to cover the Champions League campaign, the Brazilian defender opted to end his eight-year stay and move to Chelsea.
Chelsea signed Silva on a free transfer ahead of the 2020/21 season. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the off-season break was very short and by the time Silva was able to play for Chelsea, the new campaign had already begun.
Silva made his debut in the League Cup in a 6-0 win over Barnsley at Stamford Bridge.
In his first Premier League appearance a misplaced pass led to a goal in a 3-3 draw with West Bromwich Albion. He opened his account for the Blues in a 4-1 win over Sheffield United.
Silva was signed by ex-Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and expressed his pride at playing for such a distinguished former player - the club's record goalscorer.
"I am very proud to be coached by someone who has been one of the best midfielders in the world and to have faced him as a player," Silva said.
"We exchange our ideas in the locker room and that's a very good thing. He talks to me a lot and I try to help my best, on and off the pitch, in order to keep playing in the best possible way.
"I have learned in [a lot of different competitions] and I use it to help young players."
Lampard was sacked in January 2021, but Silva continued to perform under Chelsea's next manager Thomas Tuchel, then Graham Potter, Lampard again and finally Mauricio Pochettino.
His first season ended with victory over Manchester City in Porto as the team won the Champions League for the second time, and the Brazil international has endeared himself to supporters as the club has undergone a colossal turnover in personnel under Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium.
He went on to become a lynchpin in the heart of defence during a turbulent period of change at Stamford Bridge, and was named as the club’s Player of the Year at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Pochettino started Silva in 22 of his first 24 Premier League games in charge during the 2023/24 season, but he was used more sporadically towards the end of the season and was an unused substitute in four consecutive matches in March and April 2024.
Weeks earlier, following a 4-2 home defeat to Wolves at the start of February, his wife Belle apparently called for Pochettino to be sacked, posting on social media: “It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late.” She later apologised.
Pochettino faced questions about the viability of using a central defender who was nearly 40, but has insisted age had not been a factor in his decision to leave him on the bench.
Under Boehly, Chelsea pursued a policy of signing young players on long contracts, while more experienced squad members have been moved on.
Silva had more than 10 years on the next oldest player to have made a first-team appearance during his final season, 29-year-old Raheem Sterling.
In a video posted on the club’s website, Silva said: “Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for a year and it ended up being four years. Not just for me but for my family, too.
“I think in everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all. But, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end.
“That doesn’t mean that this is a definitive end. I hope to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here.”
Silva made 155 appearances across all competitions for Chelsea and scored nine goals, he also won the Super Cup and the World Club Cup with the club.
Towards the end of the season it was announced that Silva would rejoin his former club Fluminense on a two-year deal when his Chelsea contract expired in the summer of 2024.
Silva made Brazil's preliminary Copa America squad in 2007, but was not selected to take part in the tournament, which the Selecao won. He also played in Brazil's 2008 Olympic campaign.
Silva earned plaudits for his impressive performance against Cristiano Ronaldo in Brazil's 6-2 win over Portugal in 2008. However, he was an unused substitute in all of Brazil's 2010 World Cup matches.
The Selecao were eliminated from the tournament after a 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands at the quarter-final stage. Mano Menezes announced Silva as national team captain when he took over as head coach ahead of the next World Cup qualifying campaign.
Silva won his first international trophy with Brazil in the 2013 Confederations Cup.
However, they were eliminated 7-1 by Germany in the semi-finals of the following year's World Cup on home soil. Silva missed the infamous match due to suspension, the result of a yellow card in the 2-1 quarter-final success against Colombia.
Silva went to the 2015 Copa America under Dunga, but Neymar and then Miranda captained the team. The Selecao were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Paraguay, again via a penalty shootout.
He once again took part in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but Brazil lost to Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
In 2019, SIlva was part of the Brazil squad that won the Copa America, and was named in the team of the tournament after playing every minute.
Brazil were runners-up at the 2021 Copa America, but later in the year he made his 100th appearance for his nation.
Silva was selected for the 2022 World Cup, in which Brazil were knocked out by Croatia in the quarter-finals. He has not been picked for the national squad since.
Silva is married to Isabelle and is a Christian. He, his wife and his children became French citizens during his stint with Paris Saint-Germain.
Thiago Silva is set to rejoin his former club Fluminense on a two-year deal when his Chelsea contract expires at the end of the season.
Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has announced his planned departure from the club at the end of the season, after more than 150 appearances.
Chelsea defender Thiago Silva is not sure what he'll do after retirement, but admits the end of his career is fast approaching.
Mauricio Pochettino admitted he empathised with Thiago Silva's frustration after the defender appeared to lose his temper with Chelsea teammates during their goalless draw at Bournemouth on Sunday.
Thiago Silva has encouraged Paulo Dybala to join Chelsea.
Chelsea's veteran defender Thiago Silva has added his voice to the growing number of players endorsing Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti for the vacant Brazil national team manager position.
Chelsea have announced defender Thiago Silva suffered knee ligament damage during Sunday's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Tottenham.
