David Josue Jimenez Silva was born on 8 January 1986 and is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Real Sociedad.
58 Facts About David Silva
2.
David Silva is predominantly a left-footed player and his passing ability and possession-retaining qualities have earned him the nicknames "Merlin" and "El Mago" from his teammates and fans.
3.
David Silva is considered to be one of the greatest midfielders of his generation.
4.
David Silva spent seven years of his professional career with Valencia CF, appearing in more than 160 games and winning a Copa del Rey in 2008.
5.
David Silva is regarded as one of Manchester City's greatest ever players alongside Billy Meredith, Bert Trautmann, Colin Bell, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero.
6.
David Silva has been named in the PFA Team of the Year three times.
7.
David Silva represented Spain, from his debut for the senior team in 2006 until his international retirement in 2018.
8.
David Silva is one of 13 Spanish players to have amassed 100 caps, he scored 35 goals in his international career, making him the 4th highest goalscorer in Spain's history, and provided 29 assists, making him the second-highest assist provider in Spain's history.
9.
David Silva was born in Arguineguin, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, to Fernando Jimenez, a former municipal police officer who eventually was responsible for the safety of the Valencia CF stadium and Eva David Silva.
10.
David Silva began playing football in the youth team of UD San Fernando, near Maspalomas.
11.
David Silva stayed in Valencia's youth set-up until he was 17.
12.
David Silva returned to Valencia in the summer of 2006, becoming an automatic first-choice despite his young age of 20.
13.
David Silva won the Copa del Rey 2008, his first title in Spain.
14.
David Silva's performances impressed City supporters and earned him three consecutive Manchester City Player of the Month awards from October to December 2010.
15.
David Silva's assist to Yaya Toure against Everton at Goodison Park took Silva to 15 assists in all competitions for the season.
16.
David Silva scored the following week against Bolton Wanderers, and was again named man of the match.
17.
David Silva then set up two of Sergio Aguero's three goals in City's second home game against Wigan Athletic.
18.
David Silva was beginning to form a great understanding with the Argentine, with the pair having combined to score three goals already.
19.
David Silva was described as having been "two steps ahead of all the United players" in the aftermath of the match.
20.
On 25 October 2011, in an interview with a Spanish radio station, David Silva revealed that he turned down Barcelona and Real Madrid so he could sign for City, and that he wants to stay at the club for years.
21.
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, David Silva delivered a cross for Edin Dzeko to score the equaliser in the 91st minute of the match.
22.
On 17 September 2012, David Silva signed a new five-year deal at City, committing himself to the Etihad Stadium until 2017.
23.
David Silva followed this up with another assist the following week, as he played in Aguero to score against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
24.
David Silva started the match and played the full 90 minutes, but the Blues were rocked by a Pablo Zabaleta red card, with a late Ben Watson header compounding their misery.
25.
David Silva finished the season with four goals and ten assists in 32 league appearances for a City squad that finished runners-up to city rivals Manchester United for the Premier League title.
26.
David Silva was restored to the starting lineup in the final, where goals from Yaya Toure, Nasri and substitute Jesus Navas earned City their first League Cup triumph since 1976.
27.
David Silva was named Manchester City's Player of the Month for March 2014, after scoring in away matches against Hull City and Arsenal.
28.
However, following a strong run of form in the final five games of the season, City pipped the Merseysiders to the title, and David Silva claimed his second Premier League winners medal to add to the one from 2011 to 2012.
29.
David Silva ended the campaign with eight goals and 16 assists in all competitions.
30.
David Silva ended the campaign with 12 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, with all 12 strikes coming in the Premier League- a career high.
31.
David Silva provided another three assists in home victories against Tyne-Wear rivals Newcastle United and Sunderland.
32.
David Silva proceeded to start City's next four games in the competition, as the Blues made their deepest run in history, reaching the semi-finals.
33.
However, having started as one of City's brightest players in the semi-final first leg against Real Madrid, David Silva was forced off after just 40 minutes due to injury.
34.
Pellegrini lamented the loss of his main playmaker, asserting that the absence of David Silva had crippled his side and hamstrung their ability to create chances.
35.
David 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.
36.
David Silva scored in the 2018 EFL Cup Final against Arsenal.
37.
David 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.
38.
David Silva was substituted late on in the match, to applause from all present.
39.
At the age of 34, David 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 the PFA Team of the Year despite City's underwhelming season.
40.
On 3 April 2021, David Silva started in and played 85 minutes of the 2020 Copa Del Rey Final against local rivals Athletic Club Bilbao.
41.
David 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.
42.
David Silva first represented Spain in the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland, scoring three goals.
43.
David Silva started five of Spain's six matches at Euro 2008.
44.
David Silva next appeared for Spain in the semi-final against Germany, replacing Pedro for the final nine minutes.
45.
David Silva was a starter in all six matches of Spain's Euro 2012 campaign.
46.
David Silva's goal was mesmeric, as he left Sean St Ledger on the floor and beat Stephen Ward before coolly slotting it past former Manchester City teammate Shay Given.
47.
David Silva was named in UEFA's Euro 2012 Team of the Tournament for his performances.
48.
David Silva finished as the joint highest assist provider at the Euros, with three.
49.
David Silva was named in Vicente del Bosque's 23-man squad list for Spain's contestation of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, held in Brazil.
50.
David Silva was part of Spain's 23-man squad which traveled to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup.
51.
David Silva started the second group stage game, against Chile, playing the full 90 minutes.
52.
David Silva was mesmeric throughout, and received a standing ovation from Spain and Turkey fans alike when he was substituted late in the game.
53.
David Silva played the full 90 minutes in La Roja's third group stage game against Croatia.
54.
David Silva ended the tournament averaging 3.3 chances created per 90, the third highest at the tournament.
55.
David Silva continued his goal scoring record under new boss Julen Lopetegui, scoring 9 times in 12 matches.
56.
In May 2018, David Silva was named to Spain's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
57.
David Silva ended his international career with 125 caps for Spain, having scored 35 goals.
58.
David Silva 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.