Thiago Silva, the 41-year-old Brazilian defender for Fluminense, spoke to L’Equipe in an interview published this Saturday. He took the opportunity to reflect on his time at and departure from Paris Saint-Germain (2012-2020), including the criticism he received, the difficulties he faced, the successes, and the management style of sporting director Leonardo, which he found difficult to accept.
Thiago Silva: “At PSG, it made me sad.”
“Are the criticisms that often followed you finally forgotten?”
“I received a lot of them during my career, some justified, some not. It’s not easy to overcome. At PSG, it made me sad. When we were eliminated from the Champions League, they had to find someone to blame, and it fell on me, as captain. But it affects me less than before.”
Thiago Silva: “I’m proud to have been part of this team.”
How would you sum up these eight years spent in Paris?
“What remains is gratitude for everything the club allowed me to experience. I wrote a very important chapter of my career there. I never would have thought I’d stay so long, become French (since 2019), win so many trophies. There are many wonderful memories with the fans.”
But there has also been a lot of pressure and sadness, especially after the Champions League eliminations, the 6-1 against Barça (2017) or the 3-1 against Manchester United (2019).
Thiago Silva: “When I see what it looks like today, it’s fantastic.”
Those were the most critical moments of my time in Paris. But I’m proud to have been part of that team. And I’m even prouder seeing it shine today, or when I see the facilities the players have.
In 2012, we had almost nothing. The gym was tiny. With Ibrahimovic, Maxwell, Pastore, Sirigu, Thiago Motta, Verratti, Lavezzi, and also the French players Sakho, Jallet, and Douchez, we made things happen. We participated in the changes to the training center, the restaurant, and the academy. When I see what it looks like today, it’s fantastic.
Thiago Silva: “I found his approach even more disappointing.”
There was also a surprising falling out, the one with Leonardo (the former sporting director of PSG). Looking back, do you understand it?
No, still not. It remains a disappointment for me. During the pandemic in the spring of 2020, Leonardo called me and informed me that I wouldn’t be part of the project for the following season.
I was disappointed, but I agreed to play for three more months to participate in the Champions League Final 8 in August. We lost in the final against Bayern Munich (0-1). The next day, Leonardo asked me if I had signed elsewhere, perhaps to offer me a contract extension. Strange. Three months earlier, he wasn’t counting on me. It’s as if everything I had done in eight years was worth less than my three matches during the Final 8! He knew me well, and I found his approach even more disappointing.
Thiago Silva experienced almost every emotion at PSG. The only thing missing was a Champions League final victory. Unfortunately, it remains a huge regret, both for him, who couldn’t achieve that goal, and for the fans who would have loved to see him lift the trophy in Paris. Some had decided he was the problem, and his subsequent success at Chelsea proved them wrong.
Sadly, the Brazilian defender also experienced the wrath of fans and the media, almost a witch hunt. He was seen as afraid, lacking character, slowing PSG down. Everything moves too fast in football, with a pervasive lack of perspective. And when there’s a scapegoat, it’s easier to “analyze.”
However, it was a great lack of respect for this immense player. This was later acknowledged by some, who saw the team’s weaknesses highlighted by his departure. It’s understandable that Thiago Silva struggled to cope with some of the criticism. There have been waves of criticism, sometimes quite harsh, and often partly unjustified.
It’s a shame that all his contributions have been disregarded, as we’ve seen since this summer with PSG’s seasons now summed up by mistakes and a project that wasn’t heading in the right direction. Yet, it took a long process to reach the club’s current level of success. It wasn’t easy; the management had to do a lot of work, and the players contributed significantly. Among them was Thiago Silva, with his defensive qualities, but also his experience and high standards. Like Thiago Motta, Scherer Maxwell, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Thiago Silva will hold an important place in PSG’s history, and he can be proud of his time there. Unfortunately, it ended with a somewhat strange departure. Leonardo and the defender had a disagreement, and it’s difficult to know exactly what each of them said. Nevertheless, we can note that he signed the short extension for the remainder of the season, which is a reminder of his determination.
