David Josué Jiménez Silva (born 8 January 1986) is a Spanish former professionalfootballer who played mainly as acentral or anattacking midfielder and occasionally as awinger orsecond striker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation and among the greatest players inPremier League's history, he was lauded for his balance, ball control and agility in close spaces, combined with his skill, composure, passing and flair on the ball.
Silva spent seven years of his professional career withValencia, playing from 2004 to 2010, and won theCopa del Rey in2008. In the summer of 2010, he moved to Manchester City and appeared in over 400 matches for the club,[3] winning fourPremier League titles, twoFA Cups and fiveLeague Cups. Silva was also named in thePFA Team of the Year three times and is the quickest player to reach 200 wins in the Premier League. He left Manchester City in 2020 after a ten-year tenure and returned toLa Liga withReal Sociedad, where he won his second Copa del Rey in2020.[4][5] Later on, he sustained ananterior cruciate ligament injury during preseason training with Real Sociedad, which forced him to retire in July 2023.[6]
David Silva was born inArguineguín,Gran Canaria,Canary Islands, to Fernando Jiménez, a former municipal police officer who eventually was responsible for the safety of theValencia CF stadium and Eva Silva. His father, Fernando, isSpanish (Canarian) while his mother, Eva, is Japanese, claimed by the Canarian media.[7]
David Silva began playing football in the youth team ofUD San Fernando, nearMaspalomas. Originally, he played as agoalkeeper, before becoming awinger and mirrored his game around his footballing idol as a youth,Michael Laudrup.[8] When he was 14, he received an offer to become a youth player atValencia CF, which he accepted. He stayed in Valencia's youth set-up until he was 17.
A product ofValencia's youth system, Silva made his professional debut in2004–05, withSegunda División'sEibar, while on loan from Valencia, playing 35 league games and scoring on five occasions. In thefollowing season, he was again out on loan, this time toCelta de Vigo, where he played 34 matches, scoring four goals. After two latesubstitute appearances, the first in a 2–0 home win overMálaga on 28 August 2005, Silva finished as an undisputed starter as theGalician side reached theUEFA Cup straight from the second-tier.
Silva playing for Valencia in August 2008
Silva returned to Valencia in the summer of 2006, becoming an automatic first-choice despite his young age of 20. In two seasons combined, he only missed six matches and netted 14 goals, his first league goal coming on 5 November 2006 in a 1–1 draw atEspanyol. In August 2008, he extended his contract by five years, amidst interest of severalPremier League teams.[9] He won theCopa del Rey 2008, his first title inSpain.
After not appearing in the first three months of2008–09 due to a chronicankle ailment,[10] Silva returned to the call-ups in mid-December. On 3 January 2009, he scored twice in a 3–1 home win overAtlético Madrid,[11] still contributing with 19 matches (four goals) as theChe qualified for theEuropa League.
On 30 June 2010,Manchester City announced that they had reached an agreement with Valencia over the transfer of Silva and that he would join the club on a four-year deal, prior to the start of the2010–11 season.[14] On 14 July, the Premier League side completed the signing[15] and Silva was awarded the number 21 shirt, the same number he wore for Valencia and when playing forSpain. Silva has said that he was happy at Valencia, but that the club had no choice but to sell him due to their large debts at the time.[16] Manchester City had previously tried to sign Silva and his Valencia teammateDavid Villa in 2008, but were put off when Valencia quoted a £135 million combined price tag on both players.[17]
Following his debut season in the Premier League, Silva emerged as one of the league's finest playmakers.Carlos Tevez lauded him as "the best signing we [Manchester City] have made."[24] Silva finished the 2010–11 campaign with four goals and seven assists in 35 league appearances.[25]
Silva prior to a league match against Liverpool in November 2011
Silva began the2011–12 season in fine form, scoring the third goal in City's 4–0 thrashing ofSwansea City[26] and was votedman of the match. He also scored the following week againstBolton Wanderers, and was again named man of the match.[27] Silva then set up two ofSergio Agüero's three goals in City's second home game against Wigan Athletic. He was beginning to form a great understanding with the Argentine, with the pair having combined to score three goals already. After a series of magnificent displays from Silva, City boss Roberto Mancini compared him to fellow Spain internationalsXavi andAndrés Iniesta and said that Silva is "one of the best players in the world."[28] On 1 October, Silva was awarded thePremier League Player of the Month for his outstanding performances, making it the first time ever that two Manchester City players have won the award in back-to-back months with Edin Džeko winning it the month before.[29]
In the firstManchester Derby of the season atOld Trafford, Manchester City won 6–1, with Silva proving, yet again, to be instrumental in the Manchester City attack, scoring the fifth goal, setting up Edin Džeko's second with a chested volley pass through the United defense, and participating in the first two goals with excellent passing toJames Milner to assistMario Balotelli.[30] He was described as having been "two steps ahead of all the United players" in the aftermath of the match.[31] On 25 October 2011, in an interview with a Spanish radio station, Silva revealed that he turned downBarcelona andReal Madrid so he could sign for City, and that he wants to stay at the club for years. He commented, "Madrid and Barcelona are great teams, but I'm happy here and I would like to stay here for many years."[32] Former City andEngland defenderEarl Barrett said he is almost impossible to stop due to his ability to create space[33] andAndy Cole, who mostly played for Manchester United, has stated that Silva "is a joy to watch."[34]
Having done well to cut the gap between them and Manchester United to just three points, City went into April'sManchester Derby knowing that a win would be enough to send them top of the Premier League on goal difference. In a match widely billed as the biggest game in Premier League history,[35] Silva delivered a corner which was headed home by Vincent Kompany for the winner.[35] City triumphed 1–0, and returned to the league summit having been eight points behind their city rivals as recently as the start of that month.[36]
On 13 May 2012, with City heading into the final day of the season needing a win over QPR to secure their first top flight title in 44 years, Silva delivered a cross for Edin Džeko to score the equaliser in the 91st minute of the match. In addition to winning his first Premier League medal with Manchester City, he also finished the season on top of the assists table with 15 assists to his name[37] and was one of four City players who made it in the PFA'sPremier League Team of the Year.[38]
On 17 September 2012, Silva signed a new five-year deal at City, committing himself to the Etihad Stadium until 2017.[39]Just six days after signing his new contract, Silva got off the mark in the2012–13 Premier League season, registering an assist forJoleon Lescott in a 1–1 draw with Arsenal.[40] He followed this up with another assist the following week, as he played in Aguero to score against Fulham at Craven Cottage.[41] He injured himself playing for Spain in October, which meant he had to miss three games for Manchester City. On 11 November, he provided the crucial assist, a lofted through-ball, to strikerEdin Džeko, who converted in the 88th minute to steal a 2–1 victory overTottenham Hotspur.[42] His first league goal of the season came in a 5–0 thrashing ofAston Villa at home in the very next league match, on 17 November.
On 19 January 2013, Silva scored twice againstFulham at home in a 2–0 win. On 9 March, he scored the fifth and final goal in Manchester City's 5–0 win againstBarnsley at theCity of Manchester Stadium in the quarter-finals of theFA Cup, sealing progression to the semi-finals. Despite missing the clash with Chelsea through injury, City prevailed 2–1 through goals from Aguero andSamir Nasri, leading them to their second FA Cup Final in three seasons.[43] They would face relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic at Wembley. Silva started the match and played the full 90 minutes, but the Blues were rocked by aPablo Zabaleta red card, with a lateBen Watson header compounding their misery.[44] It was one of the great FA Cup upsets, and ended up costing City boss Mancini his job.[45]
In the penultimate Premier League game againstReading, Silva made a superb pass to Džeko which took the entire Reading defense out of the game.[46] Džeko scored, sealing a 0–2 win in City's first match since the sacking of Roberto Mancini. Silva finished the season with four goals and ten assists in 32 league appearances for a City squad that finished runners-up to city rivalsManchester United for the Premier League title.
Silva playing against Crystal Palace in December 2013
The2013–14 Premier League season was a tough one for Silva, as numerous injuries limited him to just 27 league appearances. Nonetheless, he did well to maintain his stellar record of goals and assists for Manchester City. On 19 August 2013, Silva scored Manchester City's opening goal of the campaign in a 4–0 win againstNewcastle United at the City of Manchester Stadium.[47] He followed this up with an assist in the 3–2 defeat at Cardiff, crossing forAlvaro Negredo to score.[48] On 5 October, Silva began one of his most productive spells in the Premier League. Making his first league start since August following a number of injury setbacks,[49] he assisted Sergio Aguero to score againstEverton,[50] before scoring once and setting up another in a 3–1 victory overWest Ham.[51] Silva then scored again in the 7–0 home win over Norwich on 2 November, but his good form was curtailed by a calf injury, which ruled him out of City's next six games.
He made his return on 14 December, scoring at home in a 6–3 win overArsenal,[52] before setting up goals in each of the next two games against Fulham and Liverpool. Silva was also enjoying one of his most productiveUEFA Champions League campaigns to date, having managed three assists and a goal in Group D, including a strike in a 3–2 win over championsBayern Munich[49] in December.
City had also progressed deep into the League Cup, eliminating Leicester and Newcastle to reach the semi-final, where they would face West Ham United. Silva played 73 minutes of the first leg, which City won by a large 6–0 scoreline,[53] meaning he was rested for the return leg (a routine 3–0 win). He was restored to the starting lineup in the final, where goals from Yaya Touré, Nasri and substituteJesús Navas earned City their first League Cup triumph since 1976.[54]
The month of March was a productive one for Silva, as he registered two goals and two assists in the league, along with a slew of excellent performances. He was named Manchester City's Player of the Month for March 2014, after scoring in away matches againstHull City andArsenal.[55] Silva followed this up with a goal and assist against Liverpool atAnfield, but could not prevent the Blues slipping to a 3–2 defeat.[56] However, following a strong run of form in the final five games of the season, City pipped the Merseysiders to the title, and Silva claimed his second Premier League winners medal to add to the one from 2011–12. He ended the campaign with eight goals and 16 assists in all competitions.
2014–15: Contract extension, Premier League runner-up
Silva playing in the 2014 FA Community Shield against Arsenal
On 10 August, Silva played in the2014 FA Community Shield, a match City lost 3–0 toArsenal.[57] Two days later, he signed a five-year contract extension with City.[58] Like the previous season, on 17 August, Silva scored Manchester City's opening goal of the2014–15 Premier League season in a 2–0 away win against Newcastle United. Silva then scored against West Brom on Boxing Day.[59]
On 21 February 2015, Silva scored a brace against Newcastle United in a 5–0 win.[60] He won the Etihad Player of the Month award for his performances in February.[61][62] On 4 March, Silva scored in 1–0 win againstLeicester City to take him to ten league goals in a season for the first time in his career.[63][64]Jamie Redknapp described him as a "maestro" for his performances for City,[65] while his teammate Edin Džeko called him "the best player in the Premier League."[66][67][68]
Three days later, City took on Barcelona at the Etihad Stadium in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash. The Blues were largely blown away by Barcelona's immense quality, but the game was marked by an ingenious backheel flick from Silva to Aguero, who scored to pull one back for City.[69]
On 19 April, in a 2–0 victory over West Ham, Silva was caught in the face by the elbow ofCheikhou Kouyaté, requiring eight minutes of treatment before being substituted forSamir Nasri.[70] Tests confirmed that he had not fractured his cheekbone.[71]
On 10 May, Silva scored a goal in City's 6–0 win over Queens Park Rangers, which resulted in the latter's relegation.[72] He ended the campaign with 12 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, with all 12 strikes coming in the Premier League- a career high.
In the opening match of thePremier League season, in a 0–3 win atWest Brom, Silva delivered a performance his managerManuel Pellegrini labelled "unbelievable".[73] As well as assisting the team's third goal, a clever backheel flick on Yaya Touré's long range drive sent the ball spinning into the net.[74] After providing another three assists for the team in August (in wins againstChelsea andWatford),[75][76] Silva was nominated for both of theManchester City andPremier League Player of the Month Awards for August, winning the former.[77][78]
Silva was injured for most of October and November after picking up an ankle injury, while playing forSpain on 9 October.[79][80] He made his return, as a 75th-minute substitute, in a 3–1 league defeat ofSouthampton on 28 November.[81] He netted the opener in the lastUEFA Champions League group stage match on 8 December, in a 4–2 home defeat ofBorussia Mönchengladbach, which resulted in Manchester City topping their group for the first time.[82] Silva provided another three assists in home victories againstTyne-Wear rivalsNewcastle United andSunderland.[83][84]
Silva warming up before a preseason match againstTottenham in July 2017In a 4–0 home league win againstCrystal Palace on 16 January 2016, Silva scored one, set-up another two goals and played a key pass in the remaining goal.[85][86] Having started every match of City's League Cup campaign since the quarter-final stage, he started the2016 Football League Cup Final on 28 February, playing 110 minutes againstLiverpool as the match went to extra time.[87] He was replaced 10 minutes from time byWilfried Bony, andManchester City went on to defeat the Reds 3–1 on penalties, with Silva winning his second League Cup with the club.[88] He claimed another brace of assists in a 4–0 home defeat ofAston Villa six days later.[89]
On 24 February, Silva scored City's second as they beatDynamo Kyiv 3–1 in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie, his second strike of the European campaign.[90] He proceeded to start City's next four games in the competition, as the Blues made their deepest run in history, reaching the semi-finals. However, having started as one of City's brightest players in the semi-final first leg against Real Madrid, Silva was forced off after just 40 minutes due to injury. This caused him to miss the second leg at theSantiago Bernabeu,[91] and his team suffered in his absence- the Blues were beaten 1–0 on the night and on aggregate.[92] Pellegrini lamented the loss of his main playmaker, asserting that the absence of Silva had crippled his side and hamstrung their ability to create chances.[93]
Silva ended the campaign with four goals and 12 assists in 36 matches, a disappointing campaign for him personally, and one in which he missed 22 matches due to a persistent ankle injury, amongst other issues. Nonetheless, it was a trophy-winning season, the ninth major honour of his career.
WithPep Guardiola arriving as Manchester City's new manager to much fanfare, it was the beginning of a new era for City. Having put pen to paper on a three-year contract with the Blues,[94] the legendary manager stated that one of the reasons he had come to the club was to work with Silva, whom he described as a special player, and one of the best he had ever trained.[95] In Guardiola's first season at the club, Silva scored one goal in a 5–0 win overSteaua București in the2016–17 UEFA Champions League play-off round.[96] He enjoyed a relatively productive European campaign that season- having provided an assist for Raheem Sterling against Celtic, he later scored the equalising goal in a 1–1 draw againstBorussia Mönchengladbach in the group stage.[97] The Blues progressed to the knockout stages where they would face Monaco in the Round of 16, but despite another pinpoint Silva cross to assist Aguero, City crashed out of the tournament on away goals following a 6–6 aggregate draw.[98]
In the league, despite a bright opening to the campaign when City stormed to the top of the table, it proved a difficult season for the Blues, as they eventually fell away and ended up finishing third, 15 points behind winners Chelsea. It was a season in transition for the team, who under Guardiola were beginning to implement a distinct footballing philosophy.
Despite the team's under-performance, Silva ended the campaign with eight goals and 11 assists in all competitions, and he beat off competition from Sergio Aguero andKevin De Bruyne to be named Manchester City's Player of the Season.[99] It was his second time being recognised as such, following his winning of the award in 2011–12, with the Spaniard fast becoming one of Pep Guardiola's favourites in the City side.
Silva during a pre-season training session in July 2017
Silva started the2017–18 season with yet another display of finesse, providing eight Premier League assists in 14 appearances, which was the highest total for any player inEurope's top five leagues.[100] The 2017–18 season was an especially difficult time for the Spaniard, with his newborn son having been born extremely prematurely. This led to him having to jet back and forth between England and Spain to visit his son and partner in a hospital in Madrid.[101] Despite this, Silva continued to produce excellent performances, and on 30 November 2017, he signed a one-year contract extension with Manchester City keeping him at the club until 2020.[102] On 10 December, Silva scored the winner in a closely fought Manchester Derby atOld Trafford, stabbing the ball pastDavid de Gea from close range.[103]
Silva was forced to miss a crucial game againstTottenham Hotspur at theEtihad Stadium in December, as he was with his son in Spain.[104] In his absence, City delivered a sumptuous performance, smashing Tottenham 4–1 following an urging from managerPep Guardiola to secure the win for Silva and his partner Yessica.[105] MidfielderKevin De Bruyne held his fingers up to show the number 21, Silva's shirt number, after scoring City's second, in a touching tribute to the Spaniard.[106] Manchester City ended up winning the Premier League with a record 100 point tally, leading to the team being nicknamedThe Centurions.[107] The 19 point gap to second-placed Manchester United was also a record winning margin, which stands to this day.
Silva also scored in the2018 EFL Cup Final againstArsenal.[108] For his contributions, Silva was nominated for thePFA Player of the Year and named in thePFA Team of the Year for the second time as City won thePremier League.[109] It was the third Premier League title of Silva's career and his second time being named in the PFA Team of the Year, and he finished the season with 10 goals and 14 assists across all competitions.[110]
On 15 September 2018, in a 3–0 home win over Fulham, Silva scored his 50th Premier League goal in his 253rd appearance in the competition, also making his 350th appearance for Manchester City in the same match.[111][112][113][114] City and Liverpool went head to head in an absorbing title race, which ended up with City pipping the Reds to the title by a single point.[115]
It was a remarkable season for the Blues, as they went on to win theCommunity Shield,League Cup andFA Cup too, with Silva scoring in the final of the latter tournament.[116] In doing this, they became the first club in English football history to win all four domestic honours in a single season.[117] Silva played in 33 of City's 38 league games, registering 10 goals and 14 assists in all competitions as he picked up his second FA Cup, fourth League Cup and fourth Premier League title.
Following the departure ofVincent Kompany in 2019, Silva inherited the clubcaptaincy.[118] On 26 June 2019, Silva announced that he would leave Manchester City at the end of the2019–20 season.[119] The campaign began with City facing Liverpool in the Community Shield at Wembley- City won on penalties following a 1–1 draw,[120] with Silva producing a brilliant pass to assistRaheem Sterling for City's goal. On 8 July, he provided two assists, the second of which was his 10th of the season, and scored a free kick as City beat Newcastle United 5–0. With the free kick goal, he reached 150 Premier League goals and assists, which only a few midfielders had done before.[121][122]
On 1 March 2020, City took onAston Villa in the League Cup final,[123] their third such final in as many years and fifth in seven seasons. The Blues won 2–1, with goals from Sergio Aguero andRodri, and lifted the trophy for the third time in a row. It was Silva's only trophy as captain of Manchester City, and his fifth League Cup title overall, making him the most decorated player in the competition's 60-year history.
On 26 July 2020, Silva played his final Premier League game for Manchester City, a 5–0 win overNorwich City. He was substituted late on in the match, to applause from all present.[124] Just under a month later, he played his last game in a City shirt, in a disappointing 3–1 defeat toOlympique Lyon in the Champions League quarter-finals, coming on as a late substitute.[125] At the age of 34, Silva ended the campaign with a respectable return of six goals and 11 assists in all competitions, enough to earn himself a third appearance in thePFA Team of the Year despite City's underwhelming season.[126]
On 17 August 2020, Manchester City chairmanKhaldoon Al Mubarak announced plans for a statue of Silva, along with teammates Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany, to be installed at the Etihad Stadium to commemorate his 10-year "transformational" contribution at City.[127]The statues of Silva and Kompany were unveiled on 28 August 2021.[128]
On 17 August 2020, Spanish clubReal Sociedad announced the signing of Silva on a free transfer,[129] despite reports of a move to Italian sideLazio.[130]
Silva made his debut for the club in a 0–0 home draw againstReal Madrid, coming on as a substitute in the second half.[131] On 25 October 2020, Silva provided two assists as La Real beatHuesca 4–1 in La Liga. A week later, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 4–1 away win againstCelta Vigo.[132] Following his excellent performances for Sociedad, Silva was named in WhoScored's La Liga Team of the Month for November,[133] as well as being named Real Sociedad Player of the Month.[134]
On 21 February 2021, Silva once again provided two assists as Real Sociedad defeatedAlaves 4–0 in the league.[135] This propelled La Real to 5th in the table, while Silva became the only player to provide two assists in two different La Liga games that season.[136]
On 3 April 2021, Silva started in and played 85 minutes of the2020 Copa del Rey final against local rivals Athletic Bilbao. The match was settled by a 63rd-minute penalty from La Real captainMikel Oyarzabal, afterCristian Portu had been brought down in the box.[137] Silva was substituted late in the game to a standing ovation from the Sociedad bench, and along with his teammates went on to lift the Copa Del Rey, Real Sociedad's first major trophy since 1987.[138] It was the 16th major honour of David Silva's career, and his second Copa Del Rey title. This final was postponed from a year earlier, so Silva andCarlos Fernández had taken no part in the other rounds played in the 2019−20 season.
On 21 July 2023, Silva ruptured hisanterior cruciate ligament. Just 6 days later, on 27 July, he announced his retirement from football aged 37.[139]
Silva made hissenior international debut in the 1–0 friendly home defeat toRomania on 15 November 2006, and continued to receive call-ups to the side after good contributions in his first games. On 22 August 2007, he scored his first two goals for Spain, netting twice in a 3–2 friendly win versusGreece, and was then called up to the squad of 23 forUEFA Euro 2008.
Silva started five of Spain's six matches at Euro 2008. In Spain's second group stage match against Sweden in Innsbruck, he assistedFernando Torres with a pinpoint cross from the edge of the box,[140] with the formerLiverpool forward scoring the opener in an eventual 2–1 win.
In the semi-finals game versusRussia, Silva scored the third goal for Spain after a quick counter-attack in whichCesc Fàbregas delivered a low cross, and he sent the ball intoIgor Akinfeev's goal with his left foot.[141] Inthe final, he was involved in an incident withGermany'sLukas Podolski. After he pulled Podolski to the ground, the German approached Silva, which resulted in an angry exchange of words and a coming together of heads that the referee decided not to punish. Shortly afterward, Spanish coachLuis Aragonés substituted Silva forSanti Cazorla in an attempt to calm the tensions.[142]
After appearing regularly during2010 FIFA World Cupqualification, Silva was also picked for thesquad for the finals inSouth Africa.[143] He played in the first match againstSwitzerland which ended in a 1–0 defeat,[144] then against Germany in the semi-finals, as a late substitute in a 1–0 victory.[145]
Spain eventually won their first World Cup title after beating theNetherlands 1–0 after extra time in thefinal.[146]
On 11 August 2010, during an international friendly withMexico, Silva scored two minutes into second-half injury time, ending the game with a 1–1 draw.[147] In aEuro 2012 qualifier againstLiechtenstein on 3 September 2010, Silva scored after 62 minutes, in a 4–0 away win.[148] The following month, in the same competition, he scored through a rare header, as the national team downedLithuania inSalamanca (3–1).
In a friendly againstColombia on 9 February 2011, he came off the bench to score the game's only goal with just four minutes remaining, helping Spain to a hard-fought 1–0 win.[149] He scored twice and provided one assist in Spain's 3–1 victory againstScotland in their final match of theEuro 2012 qualifiers.[150] He scored the first goal in Spain's 2–2 comeback againstCosta Rica, a friendly match where he came on as a substitute in the second half with Spain trailing 2–0.[151] He once again scored in a friendly againstVenezuela to make the score 2–0 in a match that ended in a 5–0 win. Heading into Euro 2012, he scored in their pre-tournament friendly againstChina by finishing off a short give and go fromAndrés Iniesta in the 84th minute.
Silva was a starter in all six matches of Spain's Euro 2012 campaign. In their opening match of the tournament againstItaly, he delivered a superb flicked through ball to Cesc Fàbregas,[152] who scored to level the game up at 1–1.
In Spain's second Group C match against the Republic of Ireland, Silva produced one of the performances of the tournament, scoring one and providing two assists in a 4–0 win.[153] His goal was mesmeric, as he leftSean St. Ledger on the floor and beatStephen Ward before coolly slotting it past former Manchester City teammateShay Given.[154]
In the 14th minute of theUEFA Euro 2012 Final, he headed home a Cesc Fàbregas cross, giving Spain a 1–0 lead.[155]The match ended 4–0 and concluded the tournament in which Silva scored two goals and made three assists, the best efficiency (goals and assists) of any player at the Euros.[156] He was subsequently named in UEFA's Euro 2012 Team of the Tournament for his performances.[157] He also finished as the joint highest assist provider at the Euros, with three.[158]
Silva was named in Vicente del Bosque's 23-man squad list for Spain's contestation of the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, held in Brazil. On 20 June 2013, he scored two goals and assisted one for David Villa in Spain's 10–0group stage demolition ofTahiti at theMaracanã.[159] Spain would go on to reach the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Final, where they were soundly beaten 3–0 by hosts Brazil.[160]
Silva was part of Spain's 23-man squad which traveled to Brazil for the2014 World Cup. With La Roja looking to defend the title they captured four years ago in South Africa, Silva started the opening match against theNetherlands in Bahia. However, they were unable to repeat their success over the Oranje from 2010, and succumbed to a 5–1 loss, despite taking an early lead.[161]
Silva started the second group stage game, againstChile, playing the full 90 minutes. However, it was another bad outing for the side, who were soundly beaten 2–0 and eliminated from the tournament.[162]
Despite the team's under-performance, Silva was one of the brighter sparks for La Roja, creating seven chances for his team, the most of any Spanish player at the World Cup.[163]
Euro 2016 was one of Silva's best outings for the National Team at a major tournament. Starting in all four matches, Silva began the tournament with a show stopping display against theCzech Republic, in which he created six chances for his team- the most of any Spain player in a single match at the tournament.[164] The game ended in a 1–0 victory for the reigning European champions.[165]
In the second group game, a clash withTurkey in Nice, Silva was a key cog as Spain produced one of their best performances of the tournament, dispatching the Turks 3–0.[166] Silva was mesmeric throughout, and received a standing ovation from Spain and Turkey fans alike when he was substituted late in the game.
Silva played the full 90 minutes in La Roja's third group stage game againstCroatia. It was an exceptional display, with the midfielder playing a sublime through ball to teammate Cesc Fàbregas, who squared forAlvaro Morata to score the opener. He later won a penalty, which was missed bySergio Ramos, as Spain fell to a 2–1 defeat.[167] Despite this, Silva created five chances in the game, the second most of any Spain player in a Euro 2016 match, after himself.[168] Spain were eventually eliminated in the round of 16 byItaly, who beat them 2–0.[169]
Silva ended the tournament averaging 3.3 chances created per 90, the third highest at the tournament.[170]
Silva continued his goal scoring record under new boss Julen Lopetegui, scoring 9 times in 12 matches.[citation needed] In May 2018, Silva was named to Spain's squad for the2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[171] He started all their matches in their World Cup campaign, which eventually ended with a 3–4 penalty shootout defeat to hosts Russia in the Round of 16.
After the 2018 World Cup, Silva announced his retirement from international football.[172] He ended his international career with 125 caps for Spain, having scored 35 goals. Following his retirement, Silva drew plaudits from many of his former teammates, being described as "one of the best ever"[173] and "one of the most talented players Spain has ever produced, without a shadow of a doubt"[173] by midfield partners Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. Vicente del Bosque, who led Spain to the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 titles, even went as far as to declare Silva "Spain's Lionel Messi".[174]
"He pulls the strings on the pitch. A brilliant footballer with great movement, he can score, assist, a player who decides a game. He’s got so much to his game, that I would consider him one of the best ever."
"He’s a spectacular footballer. He has been throughout his career. For the national team he has been a cornerstone of that generation of highly talented Spanish footballers. David was a vital component and absolutely essential to that team - one of the most talented players Spain has ever produced, without a shadow of a doubt."[175]
A talented and agile left-footed player,[176][177] Silva was known for having an excellent first touch, gooddribbling skills, and outstanding technical ability, which, along with his intelligent attacking movements, allowed him to retain possession in tight spaces, and to create space for himself and teammates to open up a defence.[178][179][180]
Silva's composure on the ball, as well as his vision, passing accuracy, ability to read the game, pick a pass, and control the tempo of his team's play, saw him become one of the best players in the world in his position, as well as one of the best midfielders in Premier League history, and earned him the nicknamesMerlin (reference to the legendary wizardMerlin) andEl Mago.[176][181][182][179][180][183][184][185] He is also considered one of the greatest midfielders of his generation and one ofManchester City's greatest ever players.[186][187][188][189][190]
During December 2017, Silva had been missing games to return to Spain for personal reasons. On 3 January 2018, he said that his newborn son, Mateo, had been born extremely prematurely and was fighting to stay alive.[101] On 11 May 2018, Mateo was reported as healthy and was allowed to come home.[195]Silva is a devoutCatholic.
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