Former Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva (41 years old) spoke to L’Équipe to defend Neymar, now playing for Santos FC. Faced with persistent criticism of the Brazilian’s lifestyle and physical management, the defender offered a detailed account, far removed from clichés, and recalled the injury-ridden context surrounding the end of the former Parisian star’s career.
Thiago Silva: “People are judging him unfairly”
“Why haven’t you been able to influence Neymar?
But he has everything: a hyperbaric chamber, an ice bath, a personal chef, a physiotherapist, a fitness coach… People are judging him unfairly. I assure you that he is preparing properly, that he is determined to be at his best to play in the World Cup. Don’t forget that he is coming back from a serious injury to his left knee (a torn cruciate ligament in October 2023 after a match against Uruguay with the Seleção).
Thiago Silva: “We feel so good that we push ourselves too hard, and then it breaks down.”
After that, injuries are inevitable. Look at Rodri! The problem is that Santos needs to avoid relegation and needs Neymar, even if he’s not playing well. Besides, Neymar is like me, he always wants to play. I told him, “You’re not the Neymar you were ten years ago. You have to take care of yourself.”
Before one of his recent injuries (right thigh in September, then a torn meniscus in his left knee at the end of November), he felt like he was in top form. But that’s when injuries happen. We feel so good that we push ourselves too hard, and then it breaks down. Contrary to what people think, Neymar is doing the right thing.”
The Neymar situation has often been oversimplified, as if his career could be interpreted in black and white. Either a carefree genius or a supposedly negligent player. The reality is obviously more nuanced. When Thiago Silva defends him, it’s not just out of friendship, even though their bond is strong and long-standing. It’s primarily the perspective of a top-level player who understands the demands on the body, the mental strain, and the devastating effects of serious injuries.
Neymar suffered a series of major traumas that profoundly altered the end of his career. From then on, each relapse fueled hasty judgments, as if fragility were a choice. Silva reminds us of a simple truth: you can do everything right and still see the machine break down. Neymar didn’t “waste” the end of his career; he suffered it. And in this context, reducing his story to a lack of seriousness is too simplistic, almost comfortable, but profoundly incomplete.
