Bernardo Silva facts for kids
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Silva in 2024
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Bernardo Mota Veiga de Carvalho e Silva | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 10 August 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Lisbon, Portugal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder, right winger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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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 | 266 | (43) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Portugal U19 | 13 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Portugal U21 | 14 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015– | Portugal | 102 | (13) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:27, 25 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 06:30, 9 June 2025 (UTC) |
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Bernardo Mota Veiga de Carvalho e Silva (born 10 August 1994) is a professional footballer from Portugal. He plays as a midfielder or right winger for Manchester City in England, where he is a captain. He also plays for the Portugal national team.
Bernardo Silva started his football journey at Benfica's youth academy in Portugal. He played for their B team in 2013 and joined the first team in 2014. He then moved to Ligue 1 club Monaco in 2014, first on loan, then permanently. After helping Monaco win the French league title in 2017, he joined Manchester City.
At Manchester City, he 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," meaning they won three major English trophies. He was named Manchester City's Player of the Year in 2019. Bernardo Silva also played a big part when City won their first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy in 2023, completing a "continental treble."
He made his first appearance for the senior Portugal national team in 2015. He has played in two FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships. He also helped Portugal win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and again in 2025. He was named the best player of the tournament in 2019.
Contents
Early Life and Football Start
Bernardo Silva was born on 10 August 1994, in Lisbon, Portugal. His love for football began in Lisbon, a city famous for its strong football culture. This is where he started to develop his skills and passion for the game.
Club Career Highlights
Playing for Benfica
Bernardo Silva grew up playing in the youth system of S.L. Benfica, a big club in Portugal. In 2013, his youth team won the Portuguese Juniors Championship. He made his first team debut for Benfica when he was 19 years old. This was in a cup match in October 2013. His excellent performances for Benfica B earned him the "Breakthrough Player of the Year" award for the league. He was part of the Benfica team that won three trophies in the 2013–14 season.
Time at Monaco
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On 7 August 2014, Silva joined Monaco in France on a one-year loan. He played his first game for them on 17 August. In January 2015, Monaco bought him permanently from Benfica. He signed a contract until June 2019.
In October 2016, he scored an important goal for Monaco in a Champions League group stage match against CSKA Moscow, making the score 1–1. In January 2017, he scored two goals in a big win against Marseille, helping Monaco reach the top of the French league. 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 and Awards
Bernardo Silva's great performances against Manchester City in the Champions League caught the eye of City's coach, Pep Guardiola. On 26 May 2017, Manchester City announced they had signed Silva on a five-year contract. He officially joined the club on 1 July 2017.
In February 2018, Silva scored his first Champions League goal for City. He scored the winning goal against Chelsea in March, which was a key step towards winning the Premier League title. He played 53 matches for Manchester City that season, more than any other player. He helped them win the Premier League with a record 100 points and also the EFL Cup.
In the 2018–19 season, Silva played 51 games, scoring 13 goals and making 14 assists. He scored the first goal in a crucial 2–0 win against Manchester United. His consistent performances helped City win the Premier League again. He was chosen for 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 in one game (a hat-trick) in an 8–0 win against Watford. In October 2019, he was nominated for the Ballon d'Or award, which is given to the best football player in the world. In January 2021, he scored two goals in an FA Cup match against Birmingham City. He scored his first league goal of that season in a win against Aston Villa. In February 2021, he scored his first Champions League goal of the season against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Winning More Titles
At the start of the 2021–22 season, there were reports that Bernardo Silva wanted to leave Manchester City. However, he stayed and showed amazing performances in midfield. He was named Manchester City's Player of the Month for three months in a row. His coach, Pep Guardiola, called him "one of the best players in the world."
In November, he scored City's second goal in a 2–0 win against Manchester United. Later that month, he had a perfect passing rate in a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. He also provided an assist, helping City qualify for the next round. In February 2022, he scored two goals and made an assist in a 5–0 win against Sporting CP in the Champions League.
Bernardo Silva became a very versatile player, meaning he could play in many different positions. He played as a central midfielder, a forward, and even a defensive midfielder. He finished the season with 13 goals and 7 assists.
On 17 May 2023, Silva scored two goals in a huge 4–0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final. This win sent Manchester City to their second Champions League final. On 10 June, he made a key assist to Rodri, who scored the winning goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan. This win secured Manchester City's first Champions League trophy and completed a "continental treble" (winning the league, FA Cup, and Champions League in one season). He was chosen for the Champions League Team of the Season. In August 2023, he extended his contract with City until 2026.
In October 2023, Silva was praised for his role in a 3–0 victory against Manchester United. In April 2024, he scored the winning goal for City in an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
International Career for Portugal
Youth Teams and Early Senior Appearances
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In 2013, Bernardo 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 31 March 2015, Silva made his first appearance for the senior Portugal team. This was in a friendly match against Cape Verde. In June 2015, he scored Portugal U21s' first goal in a big 5–0 win against Germany U21 in the European Under-21 Championship semi-finals. He missed the Euro 2016 tournament due to an injury.
Silva was part of the Portugal squad for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia. He scored a goal in a 4–0 win against New Zealand. Portugal reached the semi-finals but lost to Chile in a penalty shootout. He missed the third-place play-off match, which Portugal won.
Silva was also selected for Portugal's team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played in all four of Portugal's matches. Portugal was knocked out of the tournament after losing to Uruguay.
Nations League Wins and Other Tournaments
Silva played in three matches during the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League group stage. He scored a goal and provided an assist in a 3–2 win against Poland. Portugal won their group and qualified for the UEFA Nations League Finals held in Portugal. In the semi-finals, he assisted two goals for Cristiano Ronaldo, helping Portugal win 3–1 against Switzerland. In the final, he made a crucial assist to Gonçalo Guedes, who scored the winning goal against the Netherlands. Portugal won the trophy on home soil, and Bernardo Silva was named the tournament's best player.
He continued his strong form during the qualifying games for UEFA Euro 2020. He finished the qualifiers with three goals and six assists. He was part of Portugal's squad for the Euro 2020 tournament, playing in all their games before they were knocked out by Belgium.
In October 2022, Silva was chosen for Portugal's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He played in all of Portugal's matches in the tournament. Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing to Morocco.
Under the new manager, Roberto Martínez, Silva's form improved. He finished the Euro 2024 qualifiers with three goals and four assists. On 11 September 2023, he captained Portugal for the first time in a 9–0 win against Luxembourg. This was Portugal's biggest win in international history.
On 21 May 2024, he was selected for the 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024. On 22 June, Silva scored his first goal in a major tournament for Portugal in a 3–0 win against Turkey. This secured Portugal's place in the knockout phase. In the round of 16 match against Slovenia, he played the full 120 minutes and scored in the penalty shootout, which Portugal won. Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals by France in another penalty shootout, even though Silva scored his kick.
On 23 March 2025, Silva played his 100th international match for Portugal against Denmark in the Nations League quarter-finals. Portugal won the match 5–2 after extra time. He was selected for Portugal's squad for the finals. His team went on to win the tournament on 5–3 in a penalty shootout against rivals Spain.
How Bernardo Silva Plays
Bernardo Silva is a small, skillful, and creative player who uses his left foot. He can play in many different attacking and midfield positions. Throughout his career, he has played as a winger on both sides of the field (though he prefers the right), as a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder, or even as a second striker.
He is known for his excellent technique, quickness, agility, passing, and dribbling skills. He also has great vision and creativity. He works very hard on defense, helping to win the ball back and start new attacks. Even though he is a creative midfielder, he is also good at scoring goals himself.
Personal Life
Bernardo Silva speaks "perfect" English because his parents sent him to an English-speaking school in Lisbon when he was six years old. Besides English and his native Portuguese, he also speaks French and Spanish. His cousin, Matilde Fidalgo, is also a footballer who has played for the Portugal women's national team and Manchester City's women's team. Bernardo Silva has a French Bulldog named John, after the footballer John Stones. He is a supporter of the Portuguese club S.L. Benfica. On 1 July 2023, he married his fiancée Inês Tomaz.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Benfica B | 2013–14 | Segunda Liga | 38 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 38 | 7 | ||||
| Benfica | 2013–14 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
| Monaco (loan) | 2014–15 | Ligue 1 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 21 | 3 | |
| Monaco | 2014–15 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 24 | 7 | |
| 2015–16 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 44 | 7 | ||
| 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 37 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 3 | — | 58 | 11 | ||
| Total | 101 | 24 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 30 | 3 | — | 147 | 28 | |||
| Manchester City | 2017–18 | Premier League | 35 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 1 | — | 53 | 9 | |
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 36 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 13 | |
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 34 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 8 | |
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 26 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 1 | — | 45 | 5 | ||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 35 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 13 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 34 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 7 | |
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 33 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 49 | 12 | |
| 2024–25 | Premier League | 33 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 52 | 6 | |
| Total | 266 | 43 | 32 | 11 | 20 | 2 | 78 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 407 | 73 | ||
| Career total | 406 | 74 | 42 | 12 | 28 | 2 | 108 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 595 | 108 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 2015 | 5 | 0 |
| 2016 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 102 | 13 | |
- Portugal score listed first, score column indicates score after each Silva goal
| 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 |
Football Achievements
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, 2024–25
- 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, 2024–25
- FIFA Confederations Cup third place: 2017
Individual Awards
- 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
See also
In Spanish: Bernardo Silva para niños
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
