Brazilian · Rio de Janeiro, Brazil · Born 22 September 1984One of the finest defenders of his generation, whose reading of the game and leadership defied age during a remarkable spell at Chelsea.
Thiago Emiliano da Silva was born on 22 September 1984 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and began his career as a midfielder before transitioning to centre-back while at Juventude. He signed with Porto in 2004, but a loan move to Dynamo Moscow the following year nearly ended his career entirely — Silva was hospitalised with a near-fatal case of tuberculosis, a serious illness that required an extended recovery before he could return to professional football. Silva rebuilt his career at Fluminense, helping the club win the Copa do Brasil, before AC Milan signed him in 2009. He quickly established himself as one of the finest defenders in world football, renowned for his composure, aerial ability, and leadership, and Paris Saint-Germain signed him in 2012 for what was then a club-record fee. Over eight seasons as PSG captain, Silva won seven Ligue 1 titles and numerous domestic cups, becoming the most decorated player in the club's history at the time of his departure. He moved to Chelsea in 2020, at 35 years old, and helped the club win the Champions League in his first season, further extending a trophy-laden career into his late thirties. Silva earned over 100 caps for Brazil across 14 years of international duty, representing his country at four World Cups and captaining the side at multiple tournaments. He returned to Fluminense in 2024 before joining Porto in 2026, bringing his career full circle to the club where his professional journey — and his fight back from serious illness — first began two decades earlier.
Leading Brazil to Copa América 2019 victory as captain
He overcame tuberculosis early in his career and was told he might never play again, yet went on to become one of the greatest defenders in football history.
Did You Know?How They Played
Elegant ball-playing centre-back with excellent aerial ability and leadership qualities
Lasting Impact
Regarded as one of the finest centre-backs of the 21st century with exceptional leadership
Career Honours
- Champions League 2021
- Club World Cup 2022
- Ligue 1 7x
- Serie A 2011
- Copa América 2019
- UEFA Champions League 2021
- FIFA Club World Cup 2022
- Ligue 1 2013
- Ligue 1 2014
- Ligue 1 2015
- Ligue 1 2016
- Ligue 1 2018
- Ligue 1 2019
- Ligue 1 2020
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS Futebol | 2002–2003 | — | 25 | 2 | — |
| Juventude | 2004–2004 | — | 35 | 3 | — |
| Porto B | 2004–2005 | — | 14 | 0 | — |
| Dynamo Moscow | 2005–2006 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Fluminense | 2006–2008 | — | 108 | 9 | #6 |
| AC Milan | 2009–2012 | — | 93 | 5 | #14 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2012–2020 | — | 204 | 9 | #14 |
| Chelsea | 2020–2024 | Free transfer | 113 | 8 | #14 |
| Fluminense | 2024–2025 | — | 47 | 3 | #6 |
| Porto | 2026–2026 | — | 8 | 0 | — |
| Fluminense | 2026–Present | — | 2 | 0 | #6 |
 Brazil | — | — | 113 | 7 | — |
Brazilian Athletes