Thiago Silva

Thiago Emiliano da Silva (born 22 September 1984) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Primeira Liga club Porto. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation, he is known for his defensive prowess, discipline, and leadership.

Silva began his senior club career in 2002 playing as a midfielder for RS Futebol, and transitioned to a defensive position while at Juventude; he then signed with Porto in 2004, at age 19, and moved to Dynamo Moscow on loan, where he was hospitalized with a near fatal bout of tuberculosis. After recovering, he joined Fluminense and won a Copa do Brasil in 2007. In 2009, Silva moved to Italian side AC Milan for a reported fee of €8 million and won the 2010–11 Serie A title with the latter.

In 2012, Silva was the subject of a then-record football deal when he signed for Paris Saint-Germain in a transfer worth up to €42 million, becoming the most expensive defender ever at the time. There, he would become the club's longest serving captain, winning seven Ligue 1 titles, six Coupes de la Ligue, five Coupes de France, and playing in the final of the UEFA Champions League, which served as his last PSG appearance. He currently ranks eighth in all-time appearances for the club. In 2020, the 36-year-old Silva joined Chelsea on a free transfer, winning the Champions League in his first season, and both the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in his second.