*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:08, 15 March 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:33, 23 March 2025 (UTC)
Silva came throughBenfica's youth academy. He began playing forBenfica B in 2013 and was promoted to the first-team in 2014, playing a few minutes with the latter. He was on loan at theLigue 1 sideMonaco during the 2014–15 season, withLes Monégasques making the move permanent in winter 2015. After winning theleague title with them in 2017, he was signed by English clubManchester City for a reported fee of £43.5 million. He subsequently won the Premier League andEFL Cup inhis first season in England, following this up with adomestic treblethe following season. He had a significant role in City becoming the first men's team in England to win a domestic treble, being namedManchester City's Player of the Year in 2019 and being part of thePFA Premier League Team of the Year. Afterwards, Silva was listed among the 30-man shortlist for theBallon d'Or. In2020–21, he helped Manchester City reach their firstUEFA Champions Leaguefinal, and was an integral part of the side who sealed a first-evercontinental treble in2022–23.
Born on August 10, 1994, inLisbon, Portugal. Bernardo Silva's football journey started in Lisbon, a city rich in football culture, where his early passion for the game was nurtured.[5]
On 19 October 2013, Silva made his debut for Benfica at the age of 19, in a2013–14 Taça de Portugal third round 1–0 away victory againstCampeonato Nacional de Seniores club C.D. Cinfães, coming out of the bench in the 80th minute.[8] His good performance for Benfica B in the2013–14 Segunda Liga earned him the league's Breakthrough Player of the Year award.[9] He was a member of Benfica's domestictreble-winning team of the2013–14 season, playing only 31 minutes in a total of three matches.[10][11]
On 7 August 2014, Silva joinedMonaco on one-year loan deal.[12] He made his debut on 17 August in a Ligue 1 away match againstBordeaux, replacingLucas Ocampos in the second half.[13] On 21 September, he made his first start, in a 1–0 home win againstGuingamp.[14] On 14 December, he scored the only goal of a home win againstMarseille.[15]
On 20 January 2015, Benfica announced that Silva's economic and sports rights had been sold to Monaco for €15.75 million;[16] he signed a contract for Monaco that would expire on 30 June 2019.[17] On 10 April, he scored twice in a 3–0 away win againstCaen.[18] On 10 August 2015, Silva extended his contract by one year, tying him to the club until June 2020.[19]
In the2016–17 Champions League group stage away match againstCSKA Moscow on 18 October 2016, Silva scored Monaco's equalizer in the 87th minute to ensure that the match finished in 1–1 draw.[20] On 15 January 2017, he scored Monaco's last two goals in a 4–1 away win over Marseille to help Monaco move to the top of the Ligue 1 table for the first time since Week 5 of the current Ligue 1 season.[21] The following 29 January, Silva scored an added-time equaliser in the 1–1 draw against reigning league championsParis Saint-Germain at theParc des Princes, putting his team on top of the league.[22] He finished the 2016–17 season with 8 goals and 9assists in the league and 11 goals and 12 assists in 58 matches across all competitions.[23][24]
The calibre of his performances against Manchester City for Monaco in the UEFA Champions League knockout legs in the 2016–17 season was noted by head coachPep Guardiola and his backroom staff.[25] On 26 May 2017,Manchester City confirmed the signing of Silva on a five-year contract after passing his medical tests. Although the transfer fee remains undisclosed, it has been reported to amount to €50 million (£43.5 million), which could reach €70 million with add-ons.[26] Silva officially joined the club on 1 July 2017, ahead of the2017–18 season.[27]
On 13 February 2018, Silva scored his firstChampions League goal for the City in a 4–0 away victory againstBasel in the first leg of the round of 16 stage.[28] On 5 March, Silva scored the solitary winning goal against Chelsea at home – a key win which put them only three wins away from winning the Premier League title.[29] He established himself as a consistent performer, playing the most matches of any City player in the season up to the end of February 2018. By the end of the season, he had played for Manchester City 53 times in all competitions – the most of any City player that season[30][31] and helped them to a record 100 points in the Premier League and the EFL Cup.[32]
Silva made 51 appearances for Manchester City during the2018–19 season, scoring 13 goals and adding 14 assists in all competitions.[33] On 24 April 2019, Silva scored the opening goal for City againstManchester United in theManchester Derby, and the 2–0 win atOld Trafford put his team on top of the league.[34] Silva's consistent and influential performances helped his team to win Premier League title, filling inKevin De Bruyne's position who missed the majority of the season with an injury. As a result, he was voted into thePFA Team of the Year alongside four other City players[35] and won theManchester City Player of the Season award, voted by the fans.[36]
In the2019–20 season, Silva scored ahat-trick in an 8–0 thrashing ofWatford in thePremier League on 21 September.[37] Days later, the FA requested a response from Manchester City after Silva directed a tweet towards his teammateBenjamin Mendy which likened the player's appearance to that of a dark-skinned advertising mascot, whileKick It Out, the campaign group againstracism in football, expressed their disappointment at Silva's use of a racist stereotype.[38] Mendy said that he was not offended by the tweet.[39] In November, Silva was banned for one match and fined £50,000 for the tweet. The FA said that Silva did not intend the post to be insulting or in any way racist.[40] In October 2019, Silva was nominated as one amongst 30 candidates for Ballon d´Or.[41]
On 10 January 2021, Silva scored a brace in a 3–0 home win overChampionship sideBirmingham City in theThird round of theFA Cup.[42] On 20 January 2021, Silva scored his first league goal of the season in a 2–0 home win overAston Villa.[43] On 24 February 2021, Silva scored his first Champions League goal of the season in a 2–0 away win overBorussia Mönchengladbach in the first leg of theround of 16 tie.[44]
2021–present: Consecutive Premier League titles and continental treble
In the start of the2021–22 season, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola revealed that Silva was one of three players that wanted to leave the club in the summer transfer window.[45] It was reported that he was unhappy in Manchester, with SpanishLa Liga sideAtlético Madrid andSerie A sideA.C. Milan being interested in signing him.[45] After staying at the club in the transfer window, Silva began displaying impressive performances in the midfield for Manchester City, most notably in the 5–0 victory againstArsenal, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win overLeicester City, and againstLiverpool andChelsea, being named man of the match in the latter, with manager Pep Guardiola describing Silva as "one of the best players in the world".[46] For his performances, Silva was awarded Manchester City's Player of the Month by the club's supporters for two consecutive months in September and October.[47][48]
On 6 November, in the Manchester derby, Silva scored City's second goal in a 2–0 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford.[49] On 24 November, Silva became the first player in theChampions League to register a 100% passing rate, being named man of the match, as he provided an assist forGabriel Jesus, in City's 2–1 home win againstParis Saint-Germain in a Champions League group stage match, to ensure his team qualification to theround of sixteen.[50] For his performances, Silva was named Manchester City's Player of the Month for November, becoming the first player to win the award in three consecutive months.[51][52]
On 15 February 2022, Silva scored a brace and provided an assist in a 5–0 away win overSporting CP in the first leg of theChampions League round of 16 tie, being named man of the match for the second match in a row.[53]
Having spent the majority of his first four seasons in Manchester providing width on the right, he was transformed into the ultimate utility player over the course of this season. Though functionally a central midfielder, he has spent time at both centre forward (he scored from there against Manchester United) and defensive midfield.[54] He ended the season with 13 goals and 7 assists in all competitions.[55]
On 29 October, Silva was lauded for his role in a dominant 3–0 victory againstManchester United in thePremier League.[60] He scored City's winner in the 84th minute in a 1–0 victory againstChelsea in their FA Cup semi-final.[61]
In 2013, Silva represented Portugal at the2013 European Under-19 Championship,[62] reaching the semi-finals. For his performances, he was named among the top 10 talents under the age of 19 in Europe by a selection ofUEFA reporters.[63][64][65]
On 31 March 2015, Silva made his senior debut forPortugal, starting in a 0–2 friendly defeat toCape Verde inEstoril.[66]
Silva was selected for the Portugal squad for the2017 Confederations Cup which was hosted in Russia. He scored the second goal of the match in the group stage of the tournament, a 4–0 win overNew Zealand.[69] The national team reached the semi-finals before losing out toChile in apenalty shootout after a 0–0 draw at the end of regulation time. He missed thethird place play-off in which Portugal defeatedMexico 2–1 after extra time.[70]
Silva was named in Portugal's 23-man squad for the2018 World Cup in Russia.[71] He featured in all 4 matches with Portugal, but was knocked out of the tournament after a 2–1 loss to Uruguay.[72]
2018–present: Nations League title and subsequent tournaments
Silva was selected for three matches in the2018–19 UEFA Nations League group stage, scoring a goal and providing an assist in a 3–2 victory againstPoland on October 11.[73][74] Portugal topped their Nations League Group and qualified for theUEFA Nations League Finals held in Portugal. In the semi-finals on 5 June 2019, Silva provided two assists toCristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick resulting in a 3–1 overSwitzerland to reachthe final.[75] In the final of the tournament four days later, he provided a crucial assist toGonçalo Guedes, who scored the match-winning sole goal at theEstádio do Dragão against theNetherlands, with Portugal winning the trophy on home soil, as he went on to be named the tournament's best player.[76][77]
Silva continued his fine form throughout the qualifying process forUEFA Euro 2020, finishing the qualifying campaign, with three goals and six assists, including a brace of assists in a 6–0 overLithuania. He would be named in Portugal's final squad for the delayedfinal tournament, appearing in all games of the eventual round of 16-exit toBelgium.[78]
In October 2022, Silva was named in Portugal's preliminary 55-mansquad for the2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar,[79] being included in the final 26-man squad for the tournament.[80] He appeared in all of Portugal's matches in the tournament in an eventual quarter-final exit toMorocco after losing 1–0.[81][82]
Despite an underwelming World Cup tournament, his form improved under new managerRoberto Martínez, who used Silva as one of his pilar for his team. He would finish theUEFA Euro 2024qualifiers campaign with three goals and four assists, including captaining Portugal for the first time on 11 September 2023, in a 9–0 home defeat ofLuxembourg in the same phase, their biggest win in international history.[83]
On 21 May 2024, he was selected in the 26-man squad for theUEFA Euro 2024.[84] On 22 June, Silva scored his first goal in a major tournament for Portugal, being awarded player of the match, as he scored the first goal in a 3–0 win againstTurkey, securing his country's qualification to theknockout phase.[85] In Portugal'sround of 16 match againstSlovenia, he played the full 120 minutes and scored the team's third kick of thepenalty shootout which they won 3–0.[86] Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals toFrance after losing 5–3 in another penalty shootout, despite scoring his side's second spot kick.[87]
On 23 March 2025, Silva featured in his 100th international match for Portugal againstDenmark during theNations League quarter-finals,[88] which ended in a 5–2 victory after extra time.[89]
Silva is a diminutive, elegant, and creative left-footedplaymaker, with a slender build, who is capable of playing in several attacking and midfield positions. Throughout his career, he has been fielded in a variety of roles, including as awinger on either flank (although he favours the right side of the pitch), as acentral midfielder, as adeep-lying playmaker, as anattacking midfielder, or even as asecond striker; he has also been deployed in afalse 9 role, or even aswing-back on occasion. He is mainly known for his technique, acceleration, agility, passing, ball control, vision, creativity, anddribbling skills, as well as his energy and defensive work-rate, which enables him to cover ground, press opponents, and start attacks after winning back possession. Although he is known for his ability to carry the ball forward, run at defences, and retain possession, he is also known to be an intelligent team player, with a strong personality, who prefers to participate in the build-up of offensive plays rather than undertaking individual dribbling runs. Despite primarily being a creative midfielder, he is also capable of scoring goals himself.[90][91][92][93][94][95][96][97][98]
Silva's English has been described as "perfect" by the media,[99][100] partly as a result of his parents sending him to an English-speaking school in Lisbon when he was six years old.[101] In addition to English and his native Portuguese, Silva speaks French and Spanish.[102] His cousinMatilde Fidalgo, also born in 1994, has representedPortugal andManchester City's women's teams.[103] Silva has aFrench Bulldog named John afterthe footballer John Stones.[104] Silva is a supporter of Portuguese club S.L. Benfica.[105][106] On 1 July 2023, he married his fiancée Inês Tomaz.[107]
^"Comunicado" [Announcement](PDF).S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese).CMVM. 20 January 2015.Archived(PDF) from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved21 January 2015.
^"Portugal come from behind to finish third". FIFA. 2 July 2017. Archived fromthe original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved2 July 2017.Portugal finished their FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 campaign on a high by beating Mexico 2–1 after extra time in the play-off for third place at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow in front of 42,659 fans.
^Lemos, Pedro (11 September 2023)."Portugal 9–0 Luxemburgo (crónica)" [Portugal 9–0 Luxembourg (report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol.Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved11 September 2023.
^Chioffi, Stefano (4 February 2015)."Bernardo Silva, il Monaco lo riscatta per 16 milioni" [Bernardo Silva, Monaco acquires him outright for 16 million].Il Corriere dello Sport (in Italian).Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved6 October 2019.
^"Bernardo Silva reveals his Man City goals".Manchester Evening News. 6 August 2017.Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved12 March 2018.He speaks softly, earnestly and in perfect English – a skill picked up from studying in a British college in Lisbon from a young age and improved further (more importantly) when it was established that it was the only common language he shared with his French girlfriend.
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