Former iconic Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva (41 years old) gave a powerful interview to L’Équipe. Moved by PSG’s European triumph and by Marquinhos’ (31 years old) gesture, he reflects on the legacy, the passing of the torch, and the collective transformation of the Parisian team under Luis Enrique.
Thiago Silva: “When I left, I knew PSG was in good hands with ‘Marqui’.”
“And when Marquinhos finally lifted the European Cup last May, he was thinking of you…
(Emotional.) When I left, I knew PSG was in good hands with ‘Marqui,’ that he would fulfill the role of captain as he should and that he would one day win the Champions League. So, for him to think of me when he lifted the trophy… (He has tears in his eyes.) He knows how much we struggled and how much it meant to me to win it with PSG.”
When he lifted it, my heart overflowed with emotion. “Marqui” is one of PSG’s greatest idols. He’s made history with the club (more than 500 matches played, a record). And I know I’m part of that too.
Thiago Silva: “For a football fanatic like me, it’s a joy to see this team.”
You seem to like this PSG 2025?
For a football fanatic like me, it’s a joy to see this team. What impresses me is the way they work. Everything seems automatic. They all know what the others are going to do. Who’s making the run in behind, going through the middle, creating an overload… It fascinates me.
I’ve already spoken with “Marqui” to try and understand how they put this puzzle together. I even asked for some drills, but they can’t give them to me. (Laughs.) You can really see the coach’s work. No matter who’s on the pitch, you can see his influence. There’s a strategy and a philosophy of play.
This statement from Thiago Silva says much more than simple nostalgia. It tells of continuity. The continuity of a PSG that fell for a long time before rising again, and that finally won by remaining true to certain values: hard work, patience, consistency. When Silva speaks of Marquinhos as a club idol and a legitimate heir, he also validates the path the club has taken. The current captain hasn’t just lifted a trophy; he has carried a collective memory, that of the years of European struggle.
But Silva doesn’t stop at emotion. His perspective as a defender, almost as a game engineer, highlights above all the well-oiled machine of PSG 2025. Automatic plays, spatial awareness, collective intelligence: everything points directly to Luis Enrique’s influence. Regardless of the players on the pitch, the idea remains the same. And that is probably where this PSG has reached a historic milestone: it no longer depends on individuals, but on a fully assimilated system.
