A look back at David El Mago Silva's career as he bids farewell to football

The Spanish midfield maestro, David Silva, closed the final chapter of his footballing tale as he announced his retirement from the game, forced to take this step due to a serious knee injury sustained during training.

El Mago's farewell

David Silva, affectionately known as El Mago (The Magician), bid farewell to football as he announced his retirement following an injury he suffered during Real Sociedad's pre-season training camp. The 37-year-old's elegant presence on the field will be deeply missed, as he leaves behind an exceptional legacy.

As far back as the footballing heritage of Spain goes, there have been very few players who wore the Spanish red and carried the same level of elegance that Silva did. The Manchester City legend announced his retirement through a special video on his social media platform that gave a recap of his journey till this point, highlighting his achievements till this point of his career. 

Achievements till date

Throughout his career, David Silva earned numerous accolades, leaving an indelible mark on each team he represented.

• El Mago’s magic first sparked in Valencia's youth ranks, where he initiated his career.
• In 2004, he made his senior debut with Valencia in La Liga where he played for six years.
• He then joined City where he played for 10 years, during which he reached his prime and gradually turned into one of the biggest names in the list of noticeable midfielders in football. He is till date considered as a City legend or “legenda” 

• The 37-year-old showcased his talent in 436 matches spanning over a decade at the Etihad Stadium, contributing significantly to City's rise as the premier team in England and securing an impressive tally of 11 major honours during his time with the club.

International career

Throughout his career, David Silva represented Spain a total of 125 times, scoring 35 goals and achieving major victories like 

• The 2010 World Cup, 
• Euro 2008, and 2012.

The Essence of Silva's Game

His playing style is what could be called ‘beautiful’. The adaptability to various opposing tactics, his sublime sense of the game and building up play and occasionally making forward runs to score goals. Silva’s distribution of the ball is what set him apart from the rest of the midfielders during his prime. 

His time in England is something that is considered the peak of his career. The blue side of Manchester signed Silva from Valencia for a total of £30 million, an amount which is still considered as the best bargain by City fans. 

El Mago’s brilliance was recognised not only by his own club, but the entire Europe. Upon departing City in 2020, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, the City chairman, proclaimed that Silva, along with Vincent Kompany and Sergio Agüero, would receive the honour of having a statue erected outside the Etihad to commemorate their significant contributions to the club.