World Cup Winner and Invincible Gilberto Silva
Gilberto Silva would become an influential figure whilst at Arsenal during his six years; a hardy defensive midfielder who ran feateured nearly 200 times.
At Arsenal Silva heralded one Premier League title, two FA Cups and two Community Shields. On the International stage he performed even greater wonders for Brazil, securing one World Cup, one Copa America and two Confederation Cups within four years of each other. After his time was done at The Gunners, he collected the top-flights of Greek football (Super League Greece) and a solo Greek Football Cup. In his final days at Clube Atletico Mineiro in his second spell he clinched another Campeonato Mineiro (two) and one Copa Libertadores. This all occurred after he won his first trophy in the late 90s Serie B (second tier of Brazilian football) in 1997 at America Mineiro.
The 2002 World Cup Winner’s greatest feat at Highbury was during the 2003/04 season when he went down in history as an “Invincible”. The £4.5 million pound signing made 32 appearances all year finding the back of the net four times to secure his one and only Premiership.
Nearly two years beforehand The Brazilian had made a grand first impression on the Arsenal crowd when in his opening game he grabbed the winning strike versus Liverpool in the 2002 Community Shield as a super-sub in a 1-0 victory. Instantly Silva had won his first piece of silverware, just, like, that. Inside his first campaign in North London Silva crafted the record for the then quickest goal hit in Champions League history after just over 20 seconds. This achievement would later be dismantled in 2007 following Roy Makaay striking for Bayern Munich versus Real Madrid in almost less than half the time!
Within a year Silva would return to Wales to help Arsenal out during the 2003 FA Cup final which Robert Pires netted the 1-0 winner versus Southampton at the Millennia Stadium due to Wembley being redeveloped.
Come the commencing of the 2004/05 season he found the target yet again in another Community Shield scoring the first in a 3-1 destruction of Manchester United. The previous year in the Charity Shield Silva and The Gunners were rolled over on penalties 4-3 by the Red Devils after the game finished 1-1 after fulltime. Unfortunately for Silva that year he lost out on seven months worth of action because of a horrendous nearly career wrecking injury. However, he would make a comeback and go onto clinch his fifth winner’s medal at Arsenal after Manchester United were defeated on penalties in the 2005 FA Cup Final after a 0-0 draw following 120 minutes. By the summer he picked up the Confederations Cup with Brazil after Latin American neighbours Argentina were run over 4-1 in the final.
Skip forward two years and he gained the Copa America in 2007 where Brazil beat Argentina again 3-0 as his nations skipper.
After a only playing 12 Premiership games during the 2007/08 campaign and previously clashing heads with manager Arsene Wenger over being placed in defence rather than his usual position, Silva left the Wenger boys behind. He would sign for Greek side Panathinaikos for an unspoken figure. Silva clinched the double with The Greens after holding the 2009/10 Greek top-flight of football and national cup. He’d already won his final international honour with Brazil before the campaign securing the 2009 Confederations Cup after his country narrowly toppled USA 3-2 with a late winner from his comrades. A year later he stepped down from representing Brazil after 89 games and three goals in 2010 after an almost a decade international career.
Sooner rather than later Silva flew away from Greece to his homeland Brazil to play for Gremio for two years before finally moving to Clube Atletico Mineiro where he competed in his earlier playing days. For his final 2013/14 mission of football, he stared at his second Campeonato Mineiro (the top Brazilian division of football) which he had lifted 13 years earlier in 2000 before also the Copa Libertadores, the most idealized South American national competition where a number of sides come together to play for entering the Club World amongst three other competitions. This would prove to be the Brazilians last hurrah in his footballing career.
Silva now age 47 remains one of the greatest midfielders to of played in Arsenal colours today. What a marvellous midfielder and what Invincible.
Liam Harding
The Arsenal Invincibles!
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