DAVID Silva lit up the Premier League with Manchester City, winning four titles in his 10 years with the club.
Here, we take a closer look at his career and what he achieved.
David Silva was a key player for Manchester City during his 10 years at the club
Who is David Silva?
David Silva is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.
Born on January 8, 1986, he is best known for his 10 year stay at Manchester City between 2010 and 2020, where he helped the club to four Premier League titles.
Silva started his professional career at Valencia, establishing himself as a key player in the side that won the 2008 Copa Del Rey.
At City, Silva didn’t take long to make a name for himself with his passing range and technical ability.
Silva scored his first Premier League goal for the club in a 3-2 away win against Blackpool, finishing off a fine solo run with an exquisite finish into the bottom corner.
The ace continued to catch the eye with great performances as City won the 2011 FA Cup and qualified for the Champions League, and the following season things got even better.
The 2011/12 season saw City win their first league title for 44 years, with Silva an integral part of the team.
He starred in City’s historic 6-1 win at Old Trafford, scoring and assisting in the hammering of rivals Manchester United.
Silva was named in the PFA Team of The Year for his outstanding performances.
He continued to show his crucial presence in the team with another Premier League title win in 2013/14.
By the time Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016, Silva was a seasoned winner with the club, and the former Barcelona manager’s arrival helped him add to his collection.
With a freshly shaven head, Silva shone in midfield alongside Kevin De Bruyne in the 2017/18 season.
He scored big goals away at Old Trafford and in the League Cup final against Arsenal, in a season which saw City win two trophies and accumulate 100 points, the most in Premier League history.
Silva continued this fine form in the 2018/19 season, finishing with 10 goals and 14 assists from all competitions as City won the league, the FA Cup and the League Cup, becoming the first English side to win the domestic treble.
Silva’s last season at the club was disappointing, as they lost out on the league title to Liverpool, and were not able to retain the FA Cup.
They were however able to win the League Cup again, the fifth time Silva won this trophy at City, with a 2-1 win against Aston Villa at Wembley.
Silva made 125 appearances for Spain, scoring on 35 occasions.
He helped them to win two European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and the FIFA World Cup in 2010.
What happened to David Silva?
Silva left City at the end of the 2019/20 season, and joined Real Sociedad on a free transfer.
He made his debut in August 2020 against Real Madrid, and won his first trophy with the club in 2021, the Copa Del Rey against Athletic Bilbao that had been rescheduled from 2020.
Silva didn’t play a single game in the run-up to the final, as he was still at Manchester City when those matches should have been played played.
The 2020 Copa De Rey was rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic that ravaged football schedules.
Where is David Silva now?
Silva remains at Real Sociedad, where he is still a key player.
He celebrated his 900th game in professional football with the club in March 2023, helping Sociedad to a 2-0 win against Elche.
In 2021, a statue of Silva was commissioned outside the Etihad alongside former teammates Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany.