Thiago Silva, a central defender who has played for AC Milan (2009-2012), Paris Saint-Germain (2012-2020), Chelsea (2020-2024) and now Fluminense (where he played from 2006 to 2008), spoke to PSG TV on the occasion of his 40th birthday (September 22). He underlined his strong bond with the Parisian club and recalled some of the highlights of his long stay in Paris, including Marco Verratti and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Thiago Silva: “I tried to give my all for this club”.
I’ve done a lot with this shirt. It’s special for me. I’m not going to talk anymore, otherwise I’ll cry (smile and a few tears). Paris Saint-Germain and my family are very special to me. I think I’ve tried to give everything for this club.
Thiago Silva “It’s a club that will stay in my heart for the rest of my life.”
(images of his great moments at PSG, saves as well as goals, including the header against Chelsea in the Champions League).
It’s magnificent, images like that, with that goal against Chelsea, it was huge. That will stay with me for the rest of my life. It’s not easy to leave Brazil and arrive in a completely different culture, to get used to a new country. It’s not easy.
But I think the club, the city and the president gave me the opportunities I needed. The president in particular has done a lot for me.
This is a club that will stay in my heart for the rest of my life. As I said, it wasn’t just professional. It was also as a man and a father, and it changed Thiago Silva completely.
Thiago Silva “They changed the life of the club a lot.”
The early days at PSG.
I remember the first time at the training center. I arrived on the pitch and Ancelotti came to welcome me, saying “we’re going to do good things here”. He immediately mentioned Verratti. He told me he was a phenomenon, and said “he’s going to help you a lot, especially when it comes to getting the ball out”.
Your arrival in 2012 with Zlatan really changed the club.
Yes, I think so. But not just for the two of us. Also the people who arrived before. Like Pastore, Lavezzi, Thiago Motta. They’ve made a big difference to the club.
After that, Zlatan and I continued along the same path. I have a story with him because I went to the Olympic Games in London and he called me up: “Thiago, is it true that you’ve signed for PSG? I said “Yes, it’s true, I did the exams at the hotel and then I’m going over there. Why?”. And he told me he was going there too. It was wonderful to play with him at PSG too.
Thiago Silva “It’s important to talk about them too, they’ve been very important to the club’s history.”
Do you have an outstanding memory from the past 9 years?
There are a lot of important moments. In particular the first one at the Parc, a Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev, I think. It was my first match and my first goal for PSG. It was special, unique. It will stay in my heart for the rest of my life.
Any big images of the 2013 title?
It was the first title after I don’t know how long. There were other players who had been there before, like Papus (Camara), Sakho, Jallet, Bodmer, Hoarau… All those players were very important, even more so than us.
They prepared the club for us. It’s important to talk about them too, they were very important to the club’s history.
Thiago Silva “I gave a lot for the club, it was important for me to have this.”
Was the Chelsea goal a very special moment for you?
It’s complicated, that’s where I went next (smile). The goal in the last minute, which almost gave us the opportunity to go forward, was incredible. People were saying that Chelsea were favourites, Zlatan was sent off, but we had the ability to bring qualification back to Paris.
The farewell at the Parc during Covid.
It wasn’t enough, there was the Covid which doesn’t give permission to make a good start. But they did great things for me, and that means a lot to me. I’ve given a lot to the club, and it was important for me to have this.
Thiago Silva “It was the most important moment as a professional and as a father.”
Do you still follow the results?
Of course, and when I have the opportunity to watch a match I watch it. I watch a lot of the French championship, all the PSG matches. I still have the feeling that Thiago Silva is still there.
I’ve got used to Paris, it’s part of my life. It was the most important moment for me as a professional and as a father. During the Olympic Games, I remembered a lot of beautiful things about the city.
It was magnificent. I can’t say any more, but I wish the club, the fans and the city all the best. Paris Saint-Germain is magic.
