THIAGO SILVA broke down in tears as he confirmed he is quitting Chelsea at the end of this season.
But the veteran Brazilian is already talking up his dream to return to the club one day in a new role.
Silva, 39, is out of contract at the end of the season and has found first team games harder to come by.
But he hopes his legacy will continue through his sons, who both play for Chelsea’s academy.
And Silva is also eyeing a stunning return to Stamford Bridge once he hangs up his boots.
But there are fears he has already played his last game for Chelsea as he awaits the results of a scan after hurting his groin in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.
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Silva said: “I came here with the intention of only staying for a year and it ended up being four years. Not just for me but for my family, too.
“My sons play for Chelsea so it’s a source of great pride to be a part of the Chelsea family – literally because my sons are here. I hope they can continue their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be part of.
“In everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all. But, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end. That doesn’t mean that this is a definitive end.
“I hope to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here.”
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Silva was signed by former boss Frank Lampard and went on to win the Champions League with Chelsea under Thomas Tuchel in 2021.
He is a firm favourite with the fans but his outspoken wife Isabelle has given current head coach Mauricio Pochettino a hard time in recent months with her criticism of the team and the tactics.
Belle Silva’s most controversial moments
All the chaos from her time at Stamford Bridge:
MAURICIO POCHETTINO
Belle went after Poch when he axed Silva for Chelsea’s 4-2 defeat to Wolves earlier this year.
She said: “It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late.”
Belle later apologised after Silva was summoned to a meeting with his boss.
But she was at it again this month after the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal, posting emojis to signify “see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.”
TIMO WERNER
Belle Silva slammed Werner’s poor finishing after he fluffed his lines in Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final win over Real Madrid in 2021.
Belle said: “This is karma, guys. Every team I go to there is a striker who keeps missing goals… this Werner, what is his name?”
In another video she added: “We need a goal, we need to win this match but my attackers don’t want to score, I don’t know why they don’t score.”
GRAHAM POTTER
Belle once liked a tweet labelling Potter a “deadbeat coach” during his ill-fated reign last season.
And after he dropped Silva from Chelsea’s XI, she wrote on social media: “I just think that going back or looking for solutions when you take a hasty and totally wrong attitude is not wrong #goblues.”
STAMFORD BRIDGE
Belle let rip at Chelsea’s décor team when they failed to put up a photo of Silva after redecorating the ground.
She said: “Today I went to Stamford Bridge, and I noticed that the photos changed around the stadium. But I don’t see a photo of @tsilva3 anywhere. Why @ChelseaFC?”
COMMENTATORS
Belle went on the offensive after a commentator criticised Silva’s lack of effort in one match.
She roared: “I’m here in my box at Stamford Bridge. I just listened right now to the commentator, who said that Thiago Silva is not attacking enough.
“Respect Thiago Silva because Thiago Silva arrived yesterday, Thiago Silva played for Brazil, Thiago Silva is very tired, Thiago Silva is 37 years old, he plays like he is 20 years old.
“So respect him, he’s not a machine. He needs to relax, alright?
“Very difficult to see what I see on TV. At home the situation worsens because I don’t know how to help, what to say. Very sad @tsilva3 you aren’t alone.”
ANDY ROBERTSON
Belle took aim at the Liverpool star after he appeared to gloat over a tackle made on Jorginho.
She wrote: “Chilwell is better than u dude you even lost to Southampton.”
Silva said: “When I started here, it was during the pandemic so there wasn’t any fans in the stadium.
“But through social media, it became something very special to me and then when the fans started coming back to the stadium and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.
“The way in which I came to the club, with the support of the club, I got to the club as a leader even though I didn’t feel like it, having arrived as the new guy.
“It’s always difficult to integrate but bit by bit I became part of the group and Lampard played a big part in that. I am grateful to him for that.
“Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“Goodbyes are for those that leave and don’t come back. I intend on coming back one day.”
Thiago Silva’s career stats
Those numbers in full:
- RS Futebol, 2002-2003: 25 games, 2 goals
- Juventude, 2004: 36 games, 3 goals
- Porto B, 2004-2005: 14 games, 0 goals
- Dynamo Moscow, 2005: 0 games, 0 goals
- Fluminense, 2006-2008: 143 games, 14 goals
- AC Milan, 2009-2012: 119 games, 6 goals
- PSG, 2012-2020: 315 games, 17 goals
- Chelsea, 2020-2024: 151 games, 9 goals
- Brazil, 2008-2022: 113 games, 7 goals
- Trophies: Brazilian Cup (Fluminense); Serie A, Italian Super Cup (AC Milan); Ligue 1 x7, French Cup x5, League Cup x6, Champions Trophy x5 (PSG); Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup (Chelsea); Copa America, Confederations Cup (Brazil)
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
