Bernardo Silva reveals Man City still have ‘small dream’ to achieve after FA Cup glory | OneFootball

Bernardo Silva described Manchester City’s FA Cup final win over Chelsea as “one of the best days of my career” as he prepares to bring the curtain down on nine years at the Etihad Stadium.

Silva lifted the FA Cup alongside fellow outgoing Manchester City star John Stones at Wembley on Saturday, adding a 20th major honour to a collection that has defined one of the most decorated careers in the club’s history.

The Portugal international confirmed his departure as a free agent in April, with Barcelona and Juventus among several contenders to sign the 31-year-old as a free agent.

Bernardo: Twenty trophies in nine years, it’s not bad!

Speaking to BBC Sport, Silva allowed himself to take stock of what nine years in sky blue has produced before turning his attention to what might still be possible before the season ends.

“Everything about my journey here was fantastic and it’s really nice to finish this way,” he said. “Hopefully we can still have a small dream that we can still fight for the Premier League, we’re going to try against Bournemouth to keep those hopes alive, but today we’re very happy!

“It’s special, being my last season, to give the fans another trophy – hopefully not my last one, but another trophy. Since I arrived, it’s been 20, so it’s not bad. And I’m just really happy to have enjoyed all of these moments, not only with my teammates but with the fans as well!”

The casual mention of 20 trophies – delivered with a smile and an “it’s not bad” – captures precisely the quality that has made Silva such an enduring presence at the club. Exceptional without ever needing to announce it and always putting the collective first.

City manager Pep Guardiola described him as a legend – to be written in capital letters – after the win over Arsenal in April. On Saturday at Wembley, he signed off in the only way he knows how – with a trophy.

This young Man City has a taste for trophies, says Bernardo

In conversation with the Manchester Evening News, Silva’s thoughts turned to the future of a City side he believes is only just getting started.

“To win the FA Cup as captain makes this one of the best days of my career,” he said. “Having already won the League Cup (Carabao Cup) this year, this young team have now got a taste for trophies. I feel sure they’ll go on and win many more titles in the years to come.”

The observation is a significant one given its source. Silva has played alongside some of the finest players in City’s history and his assessment that this emerging group – built around the likes of Rayan Cherki, Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku – has the appetite and quality to sustain success in the years ahead carries the weight of lived experience.

For a player who has given everything to Manchester City across nine years, leaving with the belief that the best is yet to come for the club he loves is perhaps the most fitting parting gift of all.