Thiago Silva gave an exclusive interview.
Have you finally forgotten the constant criticism that once followed you?
I’ve received a lot of criticism throughout my career – some justified, others not. Overcoming it hasn’t been easy. During my time at Paris Saint-Germain, that criticism hurt deeply. When we were eliminated from the Champions League, they had to find a scapegoat, and as captain, I became the target of all criticism.
But now, such criticism affects me much less than before. What’s particularly disappointing is that some of it comes from former players.
That’s far worse than criticism from commentators or journalists who never stepped on the pitch. But you have to face it all. I’m preparing my kids, Iago and Isago. In the future, they’ll have to learn how to deal with criticism and how people will compare them to their father. They need to be mentally ready.
Among the criticisms from former players, Romário accused you in a 2015 interview with L’Equipe of "lacking the attitude to play for the Brazil national team."
What hurt the most is that he was my role model. I grew up dreaming of being like Romário. Being criticized by your idol really stings.
My affection for him diminished a bit because of that. But now, with more life experience and a broader perspective, I understand and respect his opinion. If I happen to meet him, I’ll greet him. But I haven’t forgotten – really, I haven’t.
There have also been some misunderstandings between you and Brazilian fans, especially during the 2014 World Cup, but some are calling for your return to the national team for the 2026 World Cup...
I’ve heard them. The fact that they still want me to play for Brazil at 41 makes me very happy. It’s an honor. It means I’ve been doing something right.
If I didn’t have strong mental resilience, the criticism after 2014 might have made me quit the national team altogether. Fans called me a "crybaby" and said I was mentally weak (even though I missed the 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany due to suspension).
But if that were the case, I would have given up when I was hospitalized in Russia (I contracted tuberculosis while playing for Dynamo Moscow in 2005)! I stayed alone in a small hospital room for six months, and then the doctors wanted to remove a part of my lung. I refused. How could I have achieved my dreams with only one lung?
However, you’re trying to shake off that "crybaby" label you once had.
It’s fading slowly, but it still lingers in people’s minds. When I decided to return to Brazil, I was prepared to face the reputation of "Thiago the Crybaby." My hunch was right, because in every away game, I hear it: “Thiago, you have no willpower! Thiago, you only cry!”
It’s a way to distract me and make me underperform. I expected it. So when some fans and media say the Brazil national team needs me, in a way, I’m showing the world how strong Thiago is mentally, technically, and physically.
Putting on the Brazil jersey again after more than three years – was this something you dreamed of?
I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t in my plans. But I haven’t discussed the possibility of returning with Carlo (Ancelotti, who took over as head coach in May).
I recently visited him at the Brazilian Football Confederation office. I didn’t make any demands; it was just a courtesy call. We didn’t talk about whether I’d be called up. Carlo knows he can trust me, and he knows what I can bring to the team. I’m ready whenever he needs me.
Your contract with Flamengo runs until June 2026, not December 2025. So this was a deliberate plan?
(He smiled.) Yes, it was a bit of forward planning. I haven’t been called up to the national team since the 2022 World Cup, but I never thought it was completely impossible.
That’s why I signed a two-year contract with Flamengo – with the World Cup as my target. Can you imagine if I could end my career with a World Cup title? That would be the absolute dream, and the perfect time to retire.
