David Silva

General

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David Silva
Personal information
Full name:	David Josué Jiménez Silva
Date of birth:	8 January 1986 (1986-01-08)
Place of birth:	Arguineguín, Spain
Height:	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position:	Attacking midfielder, Winger
Youth clubs
1995–2000 2000–2003	UD San Fernando Valencia
Senior clubs
Years	Club	App (Gls)
2003–2004 2004–2010 2004–2005 2005–2006 2010–2020 2020–2023	Valenica B Valencia → Eibar (loan) → Celta de Vigo (loan) Manchester City Real Sociedad	014 00(1) 119 0(10) 035 00(4) 034 00(2) 309 0(60) 074 00(6)
National team
2001–2002 2002–2003 2004–2005 2005 2004–2006 2006–2018	Spain U16 Spain U17 Spain U19 Spain U20 Spain U21 Spain	006 00(2) 020 00(5) 014 00(5) 005 00(4) 009 00(7) 0125 0(35)

David Josué Jiménez Silva (born 8 January 1986) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played mainly as a central or an attacking midfielder but also played as a winger or second striker. His passing ability and possession-retaining qualities earned him the nicknames Merlin (reference to the legendary wizard Merlin) and El Mago from his teammates and fans. He is considered one of the greatest midfielders of his generation and one of Manchester City's greatest ever players.

Silva spent six years of his professional career with Valencia CF, appearing in more than 160 games and winning a Copa del Rey in 2008. In the summer of 2010, he moved to Manchester City and has since appeared in over 400 matches. With them he has won two FA Cups, five League Cups and four Premier League titles. He is regarded as one of Manchester City's greatest ever players alongside Billy Meredith, Bert Trautmann, Colin Bell and Sergio Agüero.

Silva also represented Spain, from his debut for the senior team in 2006 until his international retirement in 2018. He formed a midfield partnership with Xavi (born 1980) and Andrés Iniesta which led to three consecutive international tournament victories – UEFA Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro 2012. He 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 also provided 28 assists, making him the second-highest assist provider in Spain's history.

Honours

Clubs

Valencia

• Copa del Rey: 2007–08

Manchester City

• Premier League: 2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19
• FA Cup: 2010–11, 2018–19, runner-up: 2012–13
• Football League/EFL Cup: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
• FA Community Shield: 2012, 2018, 2019

International

Spain

• FIFA World Cup: 2010
• UEFA European Football Championship: 2008, 2012
• FIFA Confederations Cup Runner up: 2013; Third Place: 2009
• UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2004
• FIFA U-17 World Championship Runner-up: 2003

Individual

• FIFA U-17 World Championship Bronze Ball: 2003
• Pedro Zaballa Award: 2005
• Copa del Rey Top Assist Provider: 2007–08
• Premier League Player of the Month: September 2011
• Premier League Top Assist Provider: 2011-12
• Manchester City Players' Player of the Season: 2011-12
• Manchester City EA Sports Player Performance Index Award: 2011-12
• PFA Team of the Year: 2011–12 Premier League, 2017–18 Premier League
• UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2012
• UEFA European Championship Top Assist Provider: 2012
• UEFA European Championship Most Direct Goal Contributions: 2012
• Manchester City Player of the Month: October 2010, November 2010, December 2010, September 2011, March 2014, December 2014, February 2015, August 2015, January 2017
• FIFA FIFPro World XI 5th team: 2015, 2018
• Manchester City Player of the Season: 2016–17
• ESM Team of the Season: 2017-18

Decorations

• Medalla de Oro de Canarias: 2010
• Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit: 2011

External links

• Official website
• Elitefootball profile
• BDFutbol profile
• National team data
• Manchester City F.C. Profile
• Premier League profile
• David Silva profile at Soccerbase
• David Silva at National-Football-Teams.com
• David Silva FIFA competition record
• ESPN stats
• Silva at Goal.com

Spain – UEFA Euro 2008 - Winners (2nd Title)

1. Casillas (c) 2. Albiol 3. Navarro 4. Marchena 5. Puyol 6. Iniesta 7. Villa 8. Xavi 9. Torres 10. Fàbregas 11. Capdevila 12. Cazorla 13. Palop 14. Alonso 15. Ramos 16. García 17. Güiza 18. Arbeloa 19. Senna 20. Juanito 21. Silva 22. De la Red 23. Reina Manager:   Luis Aragonés

Spain – 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup – Third place

1. Casillas (c) 2. Albiol 3. Piqué 4. Marchena 5. Puyol 6. Pablo 7. Villa 8. Xavi 9. Torres 10. Fàbregas 11. Capdevila 12. Busquets 13. López 14. Alonso 15. Ramos 16. Llorente 17. Güiza 18. Riera 19. Arbeloa 20. Cazorla 21. Silva 22. Mata 23. Reina Manager:   Vicente del Bosque

Spain – 2010 FIFA World Cup - Winners (1st title)

1. Casillas 2. Albiol 3. Piqué 4. Marchena 5. Puyol 6. Iniesta 7. Villa 8. Xavi 9. F. Torres 10. Fàbregas 11. Capdevila 12. Valdés 13. Mata 14. Alonso 15. Ramos 16. Busquets 17. Arbeloa 18. Pedro 19. Llorente 20. Martínez 21. Silva 22. Navas 23. Reina Manager:   Vicente del Bosque

Spain – UEFA Euro 2012 - Winners (3rd title)

1. Casillas (c) 2. Albiol 3. Piqué 4. Martínez 5. Juanfran 6. Iniesta 7. Pedro 8. Xavi 9. Torres 10. Fàbregas 11. Negredo 12. Valdés 13. Mata 14. Alonso 15. Ramos 16. Busquets 17. Arbeloa 18. Alba 19. Llorente 20. Cazorla 21. Silva 22. Navas 23. Reina Manager:   Vicente del Bosque

Spain – 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup - Runner-up

1. Casillas 2. Albiol 3. Piqué 4. Martínez 5. Azpilicueta 6. Iniesta 7. Villa 8. Xavi 9. Torres 10. Fàbregas 11. Pedro 12. Valdés 13. Mata 14. Soldado 15. Ramos 16. Busquets 17. Arbeloa 18. Alba 19. Monreal 20. Cazorla 21. Silva 22. Navas 23. Reina Manager:   Vicente del Bosque

Spain – 2014 FIFA World Cup - Group stage

1. I. Casillas (c) 2. R. Albiol 3. Piqué 4. Javi Martínez 5. Juanfran 6. A. Iniesta 7. David Villa 8. Xavi 9. Torres 10. Fàbregas 11. Pedro 12. De Gea 13. Mata 14. Alonso 15. Ramos 16. Busquets 17. Koke 18. Alba 19. Diego Costa 20. S. Cazorla 21. Silva 22. Azpilicueta 23. Reina Manager:   Vicente del Bosque

Spain – UEFA Euro 2016 – Round of 16

1. Casillas 2. Azpilicueta 3. Piqué 4. Bartra 5. Busquets 6. Iniesta 7. Morata 8. Koke 9. Vázquez 10. Fàbregas 11. Pedro 12. Bellerín 13. De Gea 14. Thiago 15. Ramos 16. Juanfran 17. San José 18. Alba 19. Bruno 20. Aduriz 21. Silva 22. Nolito 23. Rico Manager:   Vicente del Bosque

Spain – 2018 FIFA World Cup - Round of 16

1. De Gea 2. Carvajal 3. Piqué 4. Nacho 5. Busquets 6. Iniesta 7. Saúl 8. Koke 9. Rodrigo 10. Thiago 11. Vázquez 12. Odriozola 13. Arrizabalaga 14. Azpilicueta 15. Ramos (c) 16. Monreal 17. Aspas 18. Alba 19. Costa 20. Asensio 21. Silva 22. Isco 23. Reina Manager:   Fernando Hierro