Bernardo Silva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bernardo Silva

Silva in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth	(1994-08-10) 10 August 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth	Lisbon, Portugal
Height	1.73 m
Playing position	Midfielder, right winger
Club information
Current club	Manchester City
Number	20
Youth career
2002–2013	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2013–2015	Benfica B	38	(7)
2013–2015	Benfica	1	(0)
2014–2015	→ Monaco (loan)	15	(2)
2015–2017	Monaco	86	(22)
2017–	Manchester City	254	(41)
National team‡
2013	Portugal U19	13	(2)
2013–2015	Portugal U21	14	(6)
2015–	Portugal	98	(13)
Honours Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA Nations League Winner 2019 FIFA Confederations Cup Third 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Runner-up 2015
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:29, 14 January 2025 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:11, 15 November 2024 (UTC)

Bernardo Mota Veiga de Carvalho e Silva (born 10 August 1994) is a Portuguese professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder or right winger for Manchester City and the Portugal national team. Many people think Silva is one of the best midfielders in the world. He is known for his creativity, dribbling skills, and hard work on the field.

Silva started his football journey at Benfica's youth academy in Portugal. He played for their B team in 2013 and joined the main team in 2014. He then moved to Ligue 1 club Monaco on loan in 2014. Monaco made his move permanent in 2015. After winning the French league title with Monaco in 2017, he joined English club Manchester City.

At Manchester City, Silva quickly became a key player. He helped the team win the Premier League and EFL Cup in his first season. The next season, they won a "domestic treble," which means winning three major trophies in England. He was named Manchester City's Player of the Year in 2019. In 2021, he helped Manchester City reach their first ever UEFA Champions League final. He was also a big part of the team that won a "continental treble" in 2023. This means winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in one season.

Silva first played for Portugal's senior team in 2015. Before that, he played for Portugal's youth teams. He has played for Portugal in two FIFA World Cups (2018 and 2022) and two UEFA European Championships (2020 and 2024). He also played in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals. Portugal won the Nations League in 2019, and Silva was named the best player of the tournament.

Bernardo Silva's Early Life

Bernardo Silva was born on August 10, 1994, in Lisbon, Portugal. His love for football began in Lisbon, a city famous for its football culture. This is where he started his journey in the sport.

Playing for Clubs

Starting at Benfica

Silva grew up playing in the youth system of S.L. Benfica. In 2013, his team won the Portuguese Juniors Championship. He made his first team debut for Benfica B on August 10, 2013. This was in a Segunda Liga match against Trofense.

On October 19, 2013, Silva played his first game for the main Benfica team at age 19. This was a 1–0 win in the 2013–14 Taça de Portugal against C.D. Cinfães. He came on as a substitute in the 80th minute. His great performances for Benfica B earned him the league's Breakthrough Player of the Year award. He was part of the Benfica team that won three trophies in the 2013–14 season.

Time at Monaco

Silva playing for Monaco in the 2016–17 Champions League

On August 7, 2014, Silva joined Monaco on a one-year loan. He played his first game for them on August 17 in a Ligue 1 match against Bordeaux. He replaced Lucas Ocampos in the second half. On December 14, he scored his first goal for Monaco in a 1–0 win against Marseille.

On January 20, 2015, Benfica announced that Monaco had bought Silva for €15.75 million. He signed a contract with Monaco until June 2019. On April 10, he scored two goals in a 3–0 win against Caen. A year later, on August 10, 2015, he extended his contract with Monaco until June 2020.

In a Champions League group stage match on October 18, 2016, Silva scored a late goal for Monaco. This helped them draw 1–1 against CSKA Moscow. On January 15, 2017, he scored two goals in a 4–1 win over Marseille. This win helped Monaco reach the top of the Ligue 1 table. He finished the 2016–17 season with 8 goals and 9 assists in the league. Overall, he had 11 goals and 12 assists in 58 matches that season.

Joining Manchester City

Early Success at Manchester City

Manchester City's coach, Pep Guardiola, noticed Silva's great performances against his team in the 2016–17 Champions League. On May 26, 2017, Manchester City announced they had signed Silva on a five-year contract. The transfer fee was reported to be around £43.5 million. Silva officially joined the club on July 1, 2017, for the 2017–18 season.

On February 13, 2018, Silva scored his first Champions League goal for City. It was in a 4–0 win against Basel. On March 5, Silva scored the winning goal against Chelsea at home. This important win brought City closer to winning the Premier League title. He played more matches than any other City player that season. He helped them win the Premier League with a record 100 points and also the EFL Cup.

Silva played 51 games for Manchester City in the 2018–19 season. He scored 13 goals and made 14 assists. On April 24, 2019, Silva scored the first goal for City against Manchester United. This 2–0 win put his team at the top of the league. Silva's strong performances helped his team win the Premier League title. He was voted into the PFA Team of the Year and won the Manchester City Player of the Season award.

In the 2019–20 season, Silva scored three goals (a hat-trick) in an 8–0 win against Watford on September 21. Later, he was banned for one match and fined £50,000 for a social media post. The football association said he did not mean for the post to be insulting. In October 2019, Silva was nominated for the Ballon d'Or award.

On January 10, 2021, Silva scored two goals in a 3–0 win against Birmingham City in the FA Cup. On January 20, 2021, he scored his first league goal of the season against Aston Villa. On February 24, 2021, Silva scored his first Champions League goal of the season against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Winning Big Trophies

At the start of the 2021–22 season, manager Pep Guardiola said Silva was one of three players who wanted to leave the club. However, Silva stayed and played very well for Manchester City. He was named Manchester City's Player of the Month for three months in a row. Guardiola called him "one of the best players in the world."

On November 6, Silva scored City's second goal in a 2–0 win against Manchester United. On November 24, Silva made all his passes successfully in a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. He also assisted a goal, helping City qualify for the next round.

On February 15, 2022, Silva scored two goals and assisted another in a 5–0 win against Sporting CP. He was named man of the match for this Champions League game. He ended the season with 13 goals and 7 assists.

On May 17, 2023, Silva scored two goals in a 4–0 win against Real Madrid. This helped his club reach their second Champions League final. On June 10, he assisted Rodri for the winning goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan. This win secured Manchester City's first ever Champions League trophy. It also completed a "continental treble" for the club. He was chosen for the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League team of the tournament. On August 23, 2023, he extended his contract until 2026.

On October 29, Silva was praised for his role in a 3–0 win against Manchester United in the Premier League. He also scored City's winning goal in the 84th minute against Chelsea in an FA Cup semi-final.

Playing for Portugal

Starting with Portugal's Youth Teams

Silva at the 2017 Confederations Cup

In 2013, Silva played for Portugal in the European Under-19 Championship. His team reached the semi-finals. UEFA reporters named him one of the top 10 talents under 19 in Europe.

On March 31, 2015, Silva made his first appearance for the Portugal senior team. He started in a friendly match against Cape Verde.

On June 27, 2015, Silva scored Portugal U21s' first goal in a 5–0 win against Germany U21. This was in the semi-finals of the European Under-21 Championship. He missed the Euro 2016 tournament due to an injury.

Silva was chosen for Portugal's squad for the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia. He scored the second goal in a 4–0 group stage win over New Zealand. Portugal reached the semi-finals but lost to Chile in a penalty shootout. He missed the third-place match, which Portugal won 2–1 against Mexico.

Silva was part of Portugal's 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He played in all 4 matches for Portugal. However, his team was knocked out after a 2–1 loss to Uruguay.

Winning with Portugal's Senior Team

Silva played in three matches during the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League group stage. He scored a goal and assisted another in a 3–2 win against Poland. Portugal won their group and qualified for the UEFA Nations League Finals in Portugal. In the semi-finals on June 5, 2019, Silva assisted two goals for Cristiano Ronaldo. This led to a 3–1 win over Switzerland.

In the final four days later, he assisted Gonçalo Guedes for the winning goal against the Netherlands. Portugal won the trophy on home soil, and Silva was named the tournament's best player.

Silva continued his strong form in the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2020. He finished the campaign with three goals and six assists. He was named in Portugal's squad for the delayed final tournament. He played in all games until Portugal was knocked out by Belgium.

In October 2022, Silva was included in Portugal's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He played in all of Portugal's matches. His team was eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing 1–0 to Morocco.

After the World Cup, his form improved under new manager Roberto Martínez. Silva became a key player for the team. He finished the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers with three goals and four assists. On September 11, 2023, he captained Portugal for the first time in a 9–0 win over Luxembourg. This was Portugal's biggest win ever.

On May 21, 2024, he was selected for the 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024. On June 22, Silva scored his first goal in a major tournament for Portugal. He was named player of the match in a 3–0 win against Turkey. This win secured Portugal's spot in the knockout phase. In Portugal's round of 16 match against Slovenia, he played the full 120 minutes. He also scored in the penalty shootout, which Portugal won 3–0. Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals by France after another penalty shootout, even though Silva scored his kick.

How Bernardo Silva Plays

Silva is a small, graceful, and creative player who uses his left foot. He can play in many attacking and midfield positions. He has played as a winger on both sides of the field (though he prefers the right). He has also played as a central midfielder, a deep-lying playmaker, an attacking midfielder, or even a second striker. Sometimes, he has even played as a false 9 or a wing-back.

He is known for his great technique, speed, quickness, passing, and ball control. He also has excellent vision, creativity, and dribbling skills. Silva is also known for his energy and hard work when defending. This helps him cover a lot of ground, pressure opponents, and start attacks after winning the ball back. He is a smart team player who likes to help build up attacks. Even though he is mainly a creative midfielder, he can also score goals himself.

About Bernardo Silva's Life

Silva's English is very good. This is partly because his parents sent him to an English-speaking school in Lisbon when he was six years old. Besides English and his native Portuguese, Silva also speaks French and Spanish. His cousin, Matilde Fidalgo, also born in 1994, has played for the Portugal women's team and Manchester City's women's team. Silva has a French Bulldog named John, after the footballer John Stones. Silva supports the Portuguese club S.L. Benfica. On July 1, 2023, he married his fiancée Inês Tomaz.

Career statistics

Club

International

Portugal score listed first, score column indicates score after each Silva goal

List of international goals scored by Bernardo Silva

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	1 September 2016	Estádio do Bessa, Porto, Portugal	7	Gibraltar	4–0	5–0	Friendly
2	24 June 2017	Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia	14	New Zealand	2–0	4–0	2017 FIFA Confederations Cup
3	11 October 2018	Silesian Stadium, Chorzów, Poland	32	Poland	3–1	3–2	2018–19 UEFA Nations League A
4	7 September 2019	Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia	38	Serbia	4–2	4–2	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
5	11 October 2019	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	40	Luxembourg	1–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
6	14 November 2019	Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal	42	Lithuania	5–0	6–0	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
7	14 October 2020	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	48	Sweden	1–0	3–0	2020–21 UEFA Nations League A
8	7 September 2021	Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan	61	Azerbaijan	1–0	3–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
9	23 March 2023	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	79	Liechtenstein	2–0	4–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
10	26 March 2023	Stade de Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	80	Luxembourg	4–0	6–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
11	17 June 2023	Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	81	Bosnia and Herzegovina	1–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
12	22 June 2024	Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany	91	Turkey	1–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2024
13	12 October 2024	Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland	96	Poland	1–0	3–1	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A

Trophies and Awards

Benfica

• Primeira Liga: 2013–14
• Taça de Portugal: 2013–14
• Taça da Liga: 2013–14

Monaco

• Ligue 1: 2016–17

Manchester City

• Premier League: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
• FA Cup: 2018–19, 2022–23; runner-up: 2023–24
• EFL Cup: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
• FA Community Shield: 2018, 2019, 2024
• UEFA Champions League: 2022–23; runner-up: 2020–21
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2023

Portugal U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2015

Portugal

• UEFA Nations League: 2018–19
• FIFA Confederations Cup third place: 2017

Individual

• Segunda Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2013–14
• SJPF Segunda Liga Player of the Month: October 2013, December 2013 & January 2014
• UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2013
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2015
• UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: January 2017
• UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2016–17
• PFA Team of the Year: 2018–19 Premier League, 2021–22 Premier League
• Manchester City Player of the Year: 2018–19
• Manchester City Goal of the Season: 2022
• Alan Hardaker Trophy: 2019
• UEFA Nations League Finals Player of the Tournament: 2019
• UEFA Nations League Finals Team of the Tournament: 2019
• IFFHS Men's World Team: 2019
• ESM Team of the Year: 2021–22
• UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2022–23
• FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2023

Images for kids

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  Silva at the 2017 Confederations Cup

See also

In Spanish: Bernardo Silva para niños