Former Sporting captain reflects on his past at the club: I couldn't go on | OneFootball

Adrien Silva recently ended his career and visited the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy, where he began his journey in football. The former Sporting captain gave an interview to the Club’s official newspaper, where he reflected on the years he spent wearing the lion on his chest – after also recalling the championship lost in 2015/16.

"A large part of my character as a man was formed here. Besides the trips I took and the cultures I got to know and learn from, I think that if I hadn’t had the foundation from my family and then the continuity at the Academy, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. [Sporting] means a great deal of my education and upbringing, because here we spend a lot of time on the field, but also off it, at the Academy, with other young people and professionals who are always present to give us maximum support when we’re far from our parents and, in my case, also my brother," Adrien Silva began by saying.

The former Sporting captain continued, also remembering Aurélio Pereira: "I will never forget everything he did, both for me and for the other children, some who became professionals and others who didn’t, but he had an impact on all of them. He always had a kind word, advice, or jokes to cheer us up when times weren’t so good."

"I gave everything and then some. I left nothing behind in my daily life, whether inside or outside the Academy. I went as far as I possibly could, and that’s what I focused on throughout all these years. Commitment could never be lacking," explained Adrien Silva, about the eight seasons he spent at Sporting.

The former Sporting midfielder concluded, emotionally: "Being captain is a matter of character and something natural. It’s a privilege to be in that picture alongside the great captains of our club over the years. Leaving that legacy and having my children see it is a huge trophy."

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