Marco Silva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Marco Silva

Silva in 2024
Personal information
Full name	Marco Alexandre Saraiva da Silva
Date of birth	(1977-07-12) 12 July 1977 (age 48)
Place of birth	Lisbon, Portugal
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Right-back
Team information
Current team	Fulham (manager)
Youth career
1992–1995	Cova Piedade
1995–1996	Belenenses
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–1997	Belenenses	1	(0)
1997–1998	Atlético	6	(0)
1998–2001	Trofense	65	(1)
1999–2000	→ Campomaiorense (loan)	1	(0)
2001	Rio Ave	9	(0)
2002–2003	Braga B	28	(1)
2003–2004	Salgueiros	22	(0)
2004–2005	Odivelas	34	(0)
2005–2011	Estoril	121	(2)
Total		287	(4)
Managerial career
2011–2014	Estoril
2014–2015	Sporting CP
2015–2016	Olympiacos
2017	Hull City
2017–2018	Watford
2018–2019	Everton
2021–	Fulham
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Marco Alexandre Saraiva da Silva (born on 12 July 1977) is a Portuguese football manager and former player. He played as a right-back defender. Currently, he is the manager of the English club Fulham.

Marco Silva played for several clubs in Portugal. He finished his playing career with six years at Estoril. After retiring as a player, he became a manager. He managed Estoril for three years. Then, he coached Sporting CP and helped them win the Portuguese Cup.

He later moved abroad to manage teams. First, he led Olympiacos in Greece, where they won the Super League Greece. After that, he spent several years in England. He was the head coach for Hull City, Watford, Everton, and now Fulham.

Playing Career Highlights

Born in Lisbon, Portugal, Marco Silva started his football journey with local club Belenenses. During his 15-year playing career, he played in Portugal's top league, the Primeira Liga, only twice. One game was with Belenenses and another with Campomaiorense.

From 2000 to 2005, he played in the second and third divisions of Portuguese football. He played for teams like Trofense, Rio Ave, and Salgueiros.

In 2005, Silva joined Estoril. He stayed there for six years until he retired. He always played in the second division during his time at Estoril. He played his last match on 2 January 2011. He retired in June 2011 at 34 years old.

Coaching Journey

Estoril: From Player to Manager

Right after retiring as a player, Marco Silva became the director of football at Estoril on 10 June 2011. Soon after, he took over as manager. The team was in tenth place in the second division.

His first game as manager was a 3–1 loss. But after that, Estoril lost only three more matches out of 24. He helped the club win the league and return to the top division after seven years. He was even named the league's Manager of the Year.

Silva's first game in Portugal's top division was on 17 August 2012. Estoril finished in a fantastic fifth place in the league. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa League for the first time ever. They had great results, like not losing to Sporting CP and drawing with Benfica.

On 23 February 2014, Estoril made history by winning 1–0 at Porto's stadium. This was Porto's first home defeat since 2008. Silva left Estoril on 12 May 2014, after leading his team to fourth place.

Sporting CP: Winning the Cup

On 21 May 2014, Silva signed a four-year contract with Sporting CP. He led the team to third place in the league. More importantly, they won the Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup). They beat Braga in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw. This was Sporting's first trophy since 2008.

However, on 4 June 2015, just four days after winning the cup, Sporting announced that Silva had been dismissed. The club said it was because he did not wear their official suit in a cup match.

Olympiacos: Greek League Champions

On 8 July 2015, Marco Silva became the new manager of Olympiacos in Greece. He signed a two-year contract. His first game was a 3–0 win in the Super League Greece. He also played his first UEFA Champions League match with Olympiacos, losing to Bayern Munich.

Silva guided Olympiacos to break a record by winning eleven league games in a row from the start of the season. They also had a great 3–2 victory against Arsenal in the Champions League. The team's amazing run of domestic wins ended at 17, which was a European record in the 21st century. They won their 43rd league title with six games still to play. Silva left Olympiacos on 23 June 2016, saying it was for personal reasons.

Hull City: A Short Stay in England

Silva managing Hull City in 2017

On 5 January 2017, Silva was appointed head coach of Hull City. He joined until the end of the season. Hull City was at the bottom of the Premier League when he arrived. The club hoped he could help them stay in the league.

Two days after joining, Silva led Hull to a 2–0 win in the FA Cup. His first league match also ended in success, with a 3–1 win. On 26 January 2017, Hull beat Manchester United 2–1 in the EFL Cup semi-finals. However, they did not reach the final because Manchester United had won the first game. On 4 February, Hull beat Liverpool 2–0 in the league. This meant Silva had won his first four home matches as manager.

Despite his efforts, Hull City was relegated from the Premier League. Silva resigned on 25 May 2017.

Watford: A Difficult Period

On 27 May 2017, Silva joined another Premier League club, Watford, on a two-year contract. The team started the season well. However, in November, other clubs showed interest in him.

During this time, Watford's performance got much worse. They earned only five points from ten Premier League matches. Fans felt that Silva had lost his focus, putting the team at risk of relegation. Watford dismissed Silva on 21 January 2018. The club stated that interest from another team had caused a "significant deterioration" in focus and results.

Everton: Mixed Results

Silva became manager of Everton on 31 May 2018, signing a three-year contract. His first season at Goodison Park ended with an eighth-place finish. The team's goal difference improved a lot compared to the previous year. They also won five of their last eight games, including home victories against Chelsea and Arsenal.

On 1 September 2019, Everton won 3–2 against Wolverhampton Wanderers. This extended Everton's home winning streak to six games. However, Silva was dismissed on 5 December 2019. This happened after a 5–2 defeat to city rivals Liverpool. The team was in 18th place in the league at that time.

Fulham: Championship Success and Premier League Return

Silva instructing Fulham players during the match against West Ham United in September 2024.

On 1 July 2021, Marco Silva was appointed head coach at Fulham. The club had recently been relegated to the EFL Championship. He signed a three-year contract. Fulham started the season very well, earning 13 points from their first five matches. Silva won the Manager of the Month award for August.

In January 2022, Fulham scored 19 goals in just three matches. This made them the first English team since 1933 to score six or more goals in three games in a row. Silva earned another monthly award for this achievement. On 19 April, Fulham secured their return to the top division after a 3–0 win. Two weeks later, they won the league title after beating Luton Town 7–0. They scored a total of 106 goals that season, which was a competition record.

In March 2023, Silva was sent off during an FA Cup quarter-final match against Manchester United. He received a two-game ban for his actions. After the season, Fulham finished in tenth place in the Premier League. Silva turned down big offers from clubs in Saudi Arabia.

In October 2023, Silva agreed to a new contract with Fulham until 2026. In December, he led his team to their first ever League Cup semi-final. They beat Everton on penalties but then lost to Liverpool. On 18 May 2025, Fulham broke their previous Premier League points record, finishing 11th.

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Awards

Managerial Trophies

Estoril

• Segunda Liga: 2011–12 (Champions of the second division)

Sporting CP

• Taça de Portugal: 2014–15 (Portuguese Cup winners)

Olympiacos

• Super League Greece: 2015–16 (Greek League Champions)

Fulham

• EFL Championship: 2021–22 (Champions of the Championship)

Individual Awards

• Segunda Liga Coach of the Year: 2011–12
• EFL Championship Manager of the Month: August 2021, January 2022
• EFL Championship Manager of the Year: 2021–22

See also

In Spanish: Marco Alexandre Saraiva da Silva para niños