David Josue Jimenez Silva is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for English club Manchester City and the Spain national team. Silva plays mainly as a central or an attacking midfielder but can also play as a winger or second striker. He is predominantly a left-footed player and his passing ability and possession-retaining qualities have earned him the nicknames "Merlin" and "El Mago" from his teammates and fans, and he is considered by many to be one of the best midfielders in Europe.
A talented and agile left-footed player, Silva is known for having an excellent first touch, good dribbling skills, and outstanding technical ability, which, along with his intelligent attacking movements, allow him to retain possession in tight spaces, and to create space for himself and teammates to open up a defence. Essentially a traditional number 10, his composure on the ball, as well as his vision, passing accuracy, ability to read the game, pick a pass, and control the tempo of his team's play have seen him become one of the best players in the world in his position, and earned him the nickname Merlin. Although he primarily serves as a playmaker for his team, he is capable of scoring goals himself as well as creating them, which enables him to be deployed in several offensive roles: he is usually fielded in a free role as an attacking midfielder, where he is given space to roam the pitch, but has also been used as a winger, as a false 9, as a second striker or as a deeper lying central midfielder.
Silva spent six years of his professional career with Valencia CF, appearing in more than 150 games and winning one Copa del Rey in 2008, before moving in the summer of 2010 to Manchester City. Since joining City, Silva has appeared in over 300 matches and is in his eighth season at the club. He has won the FA Cup, three League Cups and three Premier League titles.
A Spanish international since the age of 20, he is one of eleven Spanish players to have amassed 100 caps and has scored 35 goals, making him the fourth highest goalscorer in Spain's history. He was an integral member of the squads that won three consecutive international tournaments – UEFA Euro 2008, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro 2012.
In May 2018 Silva was named to Spain's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. |
