Thiago Silva never imagined in England.
As a central defender, the Brazilian had watched English Premier League matches over the years and simply did not like it.
“My impression of football played was that of long balls, high balls, long-range shots,” he said.
Image: AP
“My preference is to play football with the ball on the ground,” he said.
So how, at 36, did Thiago Silva end up at Chelsea in the last major move of his brilliant career?
“Over time, I’ve noticed that the league has grown enormously,” his performance as a Chelsea player said on Tuesday.
“There’s a lot more technical quality, a lot more teams playing with the ball on the ground, fullbacks attacking in the area,” he said. “Little by little, the Premier League has won me over. Anyone who knows me can confirm that. At 36, I am arriving to play in the best league in the world.”
Thiago Silva’s last competitive match for Paris Saint-Germain in the 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich in last month’s UEFA Champions League final in Lisbon.
Compare this opportunity to his most likely debut for Chelsea, a low-key EFL Cup match opposed to Barnsley of Second Division England.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said he was in a position to give the experienced central defender a few minutes in yesterday’s game as the Brazilian prepared to be in the most sensible way after a short off-season.
Thiago Silva is awaited by more important tests in the Premier League, and sees himself suffering in what is considered the highest physical intensity department in the world.
“Age is just a number on your document. Physically, I feel very young, I’m very prepared for this and I’ve got it ready all my life,” he said.
“People who know me know how much I love my homework and that I dedicate 200% to them. It’s a wonderful opportunity for me from Chelsea and Frank Lampard. I don’t need to disappoint them,” he added.
Thiago Silva is likely to provide much-needed leadership and revel in a Chelsea defense that has sometimes been naive since Lampard joined last year.
He sees his role at Chelsea only as a player, but as a mentor to a young team looking to consolidate after the club’s off-season spending frenzy of more than $250 million.
“I think with all the delight of my career and everything, I think it’s vital to show young players that just playing matches isn’t enough,” he said.
“They will have to be prepared and able to be in the most productive condition imaginable. They want to see how vital it is to win things, because I think the others who win remember it,” he said.