Gilberto Silva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gilberto Silva

Gilberto Silva in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Gilberto Aparecido da Silva
Date of birth	(1976-10-07) 7 October 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth	Lagoa da Prata, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Height	1.85m
Playing position	Defensive midfielder Defender
Youth career
1988–1993	América Mineiro
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1997–2000	América Mineiro	20	(1)
2000–2002	Atlético Mineiro	62	(4)
2002–2008	Arsenal	170	(17)
2008–2011	Panathinaikos	78	(5)
2011–2013	Grêmio	47	(1)
2013–2014	Atlético Mineiro	9	(0)
Total		386	(28)
National team
2001–2010	Brazil	89	(3)
Honours Men's football Representing  Brazil FIFA World Cup Winner 2002 Korea/Japan FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2005 Germany Winner 2009 South Africa Copa America Winner 2007 Venezuela Olympic Games Bronze 2008 Beijing
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Gilberto Aparecido da Silva (born 7 October 1976) is a famous Brazilian former footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder. He is best known for playing with Brazilian team Atlético Mineiro and English club Arsenal. He also played for the Brazil national team. Today, he works as an ambassador for both Arsenal and FIFA.

Gilberto grew up in a poor family in Lagoa da Prata, Brazil. He joined the youth team of América Mineiro. He started playing professionally in 1998 as a defender. After helping his team get promoted, he joined Atlético Mineiro. There, he became a defensive midfielder. This new role helped him get called up to the Brazil national team for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He played a big part as Brazil won the tournament.

His great performance at the World Cup led him to join Arsenal in England in 2002. At Arsenal, Gilberto became known as a top defensive midfielder. He was part of the famous "Invincibles" team that won the Premier League without losing a single game. He also won two FA Cups. Gilberto scored Arsenal's first goal at the Emirates Stadium. He also scored their fastest ever goal, in just 21 seconds! After Arsenal, he played for Panathinaikos in Greece, winning a league and cup double. He returned to Brazil in 2011, playing for Grêmio. Later, he rejoined Atlético Mineiro and won the 2013 Copa Libertadores before retiring.

Gilberto played for Brazil for nine years. He won the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He also helped Brazil win the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2007 Copa América. He was even captain for some games. He retired from international football after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He played 89 games for Brazil.

Early Life and First Steps in Football

Gilberto grew up in Lagoa da Prata with his family. His father was a blacksmith, and his mother was a housewife. He had three sisters, and they all shared one room. Even though his family faced money problems, Gilberto remembers a happy childhood. He played football on the street with his friends.

In 1988, when he was 12, Gilberto joined América Mineiro as a young player. Here, he learned how to play as a central defender. This taught him important defensive skills. Outside of football, he learned how to make furniture from his father. In 1991, his father retired. This meant 16-year-old Gilberto had to help support his family. His mother was also unwell, which made things harder.

Because the pay at América Mineiro was very low, Gilberto had to stop playing football. He took different jobs to earn money. He worked as a labourer, a carpenter, and even in a sweet factory. It seemed like his dream of being a footballer was over.

Club Career Highlights

Starting His Professional Journey

In 1997, Gilberto's friends encouraged him to try football again. He rejoined América Mineiro as a full-time professional player. He was 22 years old and played as a central defender. He helped his team win the Série B division. This meant they were promoted to the top league, Série A.

In 2000, Gilberto joined Atlético Mineiro, a rival club. In his first season, he broke his leg and missed many games. But in his second season, his manager, Carlos Alberto Parreira, moved him to a defensive midfield role. Gilberto did very well in this new position. He scored three goals in 2001 and became a rising star in Brazilian football.

Becoming an Arsenal Invincible

Gilberto's amazing performances, especially in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, caught the eye of many clubs. He wanted to play in England. In August 2002, he joined Arsenal for about £4.5 million. Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, liked how Gilberto played simply and effectively.

Gilberto defending a corner for Arsenal at Highbury in April 2006

Gilberto quickly settled into life in England. On 11 August 2002, he made his Arsenal debut. He came on as a substitute against Liverpool and scored the winning goal in the FA Community Shield. On 25 September 2002, he set a new record. He scored the fastest goal in the UEFA Champions League after just 20.07 seconds against PSV.

The 2003–04 season was even better. Gilberto was key to Arsenal winning the Premier League title without losing a single game. This team became known as the "Invincibles." He played in 32 of their 38 unbeaten league games.

In September 2004, Gilberto fractured his back. He had to wear a back brace and went back to Brazil to recover. He worried he might not play football again. But after a long recovery, he returned in April 2005. His absence showed how important he was to the Arsenal team.

Gilberto (right) faces up to ex-Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry

After Patrick Vieira left Arsenal in 2005, Gilberto became a senior player. In September 2005, he extended his contract until 2009. He also captained Arsenal for the first time in October 2005. For the 2006–07 season, he was named Arsenal's vice-captain. He scored Arsenal's first ever goal at their new home, the Emirates Stadium. He also scored 10 Premier League goals that season, which was very high for a defensive midfielder. Many fans and experts thought he was Arsenal's best player that season.

In the 2007–08 season, Gilberto faced more competition for his place. He sometimes felt "totally useless" when he wasn't playing regularly. However, he stayed professional and fought for his spot. He finished the season with 36 appearances for Arsenal.

Moving to Greece and Back to Brazil

After leaving Arsenal, Gilberto joined Greek club Panathinaikos in July 2008. He helped them reach the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. In the 2009–10 season, he won both the Greek Championship and the Greek Cup. He scored the winning goal in his final home game for Panathinaikos in May 2011.

On 23 May 2011, Gilberto returned to Brazil. He signed with Grêmio. He had always wanted to play for Atlético Mineiro again. On 10 November 2012, his wish came true as he signed with Galo.

On 9 December 2012, Atlético Mineiro fans welcomed Gilberto back. He hoped to win the 2013 Copa Libertadores title. He achieved this dream on 24 July 2013, when Atlético Mineiro won the final against Club Olimpia.

Gilberto officially retired from football on 11 December 2015. He now plans to work as a consultant for football clubs and players.

International Career with Brazil

In October 2001, Gilberto was called up to the Brazil national team for the first time. He made his debut against Chile on 7 October. In 2002, he was a surprise choice for the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad. Just before the tournament, Brazil's captain, Emerson, got injured. Gilberto stepped in and played every minute of every match. Brazil went on to win the World Cup! People said Gilberto was like "the invisible wall" who helped stars like Ronaldo and Rivaldo shine.

Gilberto also played in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, which Brazil won. He was also part of the Brazil team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In 2007, he captained Brazil in the 2007 Copa América tournament. Brazil won the final against Argentina 3–0.

He also helped Brazil win the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Gilberto retired from international football after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He played 89 games for his country.

How Gilberto Played

Gilberto was often called "the invisible wall" in Brazil. He played as a defensive midfielder, staying between the defenders and the rest of the midfield. His main job was to stop opponent attacks before they became dangerous. He was very good at this, often pushing opponents back instead of tackling them. This is why he rarely received yellow or red cards. He went over 45 games without a single booking twice at Arsenal!

He was also good at defending against teams that played long passes. He would mark the opponent's main attacking player. This made it hard for the other team to get the ball to their strikers.

Even though his passing was sometimes criticized, Gilberto was known for completing many of his passes. Football experts considered him one of the top midfielders in England.

Life Outside Football

Gilberto Silva at a photo shoot for The Street League

Gilberto supports The Street League, a charity in the UK. This group organizes football matches for homeless people and refugees. In 2003, he even traveled to Brazil with 17 Street League players. They visited his hometown and played games at the famous Maracanã Stadium.

Gilberto playing a mandolin

Gilberto enjoys playing the guitar and used to play the mandolin. He would often play music with his teammates like Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos on the team bus. He also has a giant anteater named after him at London Zoo! He adopted the animal after a competition.

During the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Gilberto worked as a TV analyst for ESPN. He also joined the BBC's expert panel for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

In May 2016, Gilberto became the technical director for Panathinaikos, his former club. He left after seven months. Today, he is an ambassador for both Arsenal and FIFA. He was also honored by the International Centre for Sports Studies in 2023 for his contributions to football.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Silva goal.

List of international goals scored by Gilberto Silva

No.	Cap	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	2	31 January 2002	Estádio Serra Dourada, Goiânia, Brazil	Bolivia	2–0	6–0	Friendly
2					3–0
3	4	7 March 2002	Estádio Governador José Fragelli, Cuiabá, Brazil	Iceland	4–0	6–1	Friendly

Honours and Trophies

América Mineiro

• Série B: 1997

Atlético Mineiro

• Campeonato Mineiro: 2000, 2013
• Copa Libertadores: 2013

Arsenal

• Premier League: 2003–04 (The "Invincibles" season!)
• FA Cup: 2002–03, 2004–05
• FA Community Shield: 2002, 2004

Panathinaikos

• Super League Greece: 2009–10
• Greek Football Cup: 2009–10

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup: 2002
• Copa América: 2007
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, 2009

See also

In Spanish: Gilberto Silva para niños