Thiago Silva, legacy and pride: the inside story of a grown-up PSG | OneFootball

Thiago Silva has rarely spoken about Paris Saint-Germain with such tenderness and clarity. From his beginnings in Ligue 1 with a club still “under construction” to the pride of seeing Paris structured, European champion, and impressive in its play, the former captain shares, in Ligue 1 +, above all one thing: a collective legacy he embraces.

Thiago Silva “I am grateful for everything I have experienced”

On his time at PSG

“I am grateful for everything I have experienced, for everything that was given to me. I think it was a very important moment in my career. When I arrived at PSG, we had a tiny gym. We practically had nothing.

And whether it was me or Zlatan, who arrived at the same time, or the other players who came a bit earlier, Maxwell, Thiago Motta, Verratti, Pastore, Sirigu, Paredes, we all provided feedback, we gave information, ideas, needs to improve the training center. And today, you can see from afar: the gap is huge, the structure the club can offer is completely different.

What makes me proud is precisely that: PSG has grown, it has structured itself, it has taken steps forward. And from afar, seeing the new organization, seeing everything that has been put in place, it makes me really happy and proud.

Thiago Silva “They had an incredible friendship from the start, truly”

I remember very well: we played a Super Cup against Monaco, Mbappé's Monaco. And at the end of the match, he comes to see me and says: “Even if Neymar comes, I want to come too. Talk to the president, discuss… I am very interested in being part of this team.” Then Neymar signed, and Mbappé arrived at the same time. They had an incredible friendship from the start, truly.

Then a few years later, what happened happened… and inevitably, you can be a bit disappointed by the way it all ended. It could have ended in a better way.

Thiago Silva “We joked among ourselves: ‘It's not possible that PSG recruited a player with a physique like that’”

Lucas and Marquinhos, these are friendships I will keep for life. Lucas is always very funny. Marquinhos, when he arrived from Roma, he was very skinny, a bit apathetic, he was sick. We joked among ourselves: “It's not possible that PSG recruited a player with a physique like that to play.” Obviously, it was a joke, because we knew his quality.

And a few years later, Marquinhos, as captain, lifts the most important trophy in the club's history. And I know I was part of that journey.

What impresses me is the way they do things. It's automated: one knows what the other will do, who drops back, who attacks the depth, who creates superiority… I find it fascinating. It makes me happy to see PSG, its progression over these years, the Champions League, the new structure… all of this makes me extremely proud.

Thiago Silva “I want to win until the last day”

On his current life and the coaching profession

I know I am in my last months of my career, and I want to win until the last day. As I said, the dream of becoming a coach is in my mind. And one of my main goals is to coach all the clubs I have played for. That's the goal I have.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.