Mikaël Silvestre facts for kids
Silvestre in 2015
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Mikaël Samy Silvestre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 9 August 1977 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Chambray-lès-Tours, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Rennes | 55 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Inter Milan | 18 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2008 | Manchester United | 249 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Arsenal | 26 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2012 | Werder Bremen | 27 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Portland Timbers | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Chennaiyin | 14 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 391 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | France U20 | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2006 | France | 40 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mikaël Samy Silvestre (born August 9, 1977) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a defender. He is most famous for playing nine years at Manchester United. With Manchester United, he won many important titles. These included the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League.
Silvestre started his career at Rennes in 1996. He then moved to the Italian club Inter Milan in 1998. In 1999, he joined Manchester United. He won several Premier League titles there. In his last season in 2008, he also won the UEFA Champions League. After Manchester United, he played for Arsenal. Two years later, he moved to the German team Werder Bremen. He then played for Portland Timbers in the United States. Finally, he joined Chennaiyin in India in 2014, where he retired.
Silvestre also played for the French national team. He played 40 games for France between 2001 and 2006. He helped France win the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2001 and 2003. He also played in UEFA Euro 2004 and two FIFA World Cups (2002 and 2006). In the 2006 World Cup, France finished as runners-up.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Football
Mikaël Silvestre was born in Chambray-lès-Tours, France. He began his football journey at the Rennes Football Academy. He started playing for the Rennes first team in the 1995–96 season. His good performances helped him gain recognition. In the 1997–98 season, he moved to Inter Milan in Italy. He played 31 matches for Inter in different competitions.
Playing for Manchester United
Silvestre joined Manchester United on September 10, 1999. He made his first appearance for the club the very next day. In his early years at United, he often played as a central defender. He also showed his skills as a left-back. He was known for helping set up goals for his teammates.
During the 2002–03 season, Silvestre often played in central defence. He formed a strong partnership with Wes Brown. He was calm and confident in defence. His speed helped him defend well and also create chances.
In the 2003–04 season, he played alongside Rio Ferdinand. However, Ferdinand was banned for eight months. This meant Silvestre had to play with other defenders. Manchester United won the FA Cup that season.
New players like Nemanja Vidić and Patrice Evra joined in 2006. This made it harder for Silvestre to get a starting spot. However, he decided to stay and fight for his place. His loyalty was rewarded with a new contract until 2009.
In the 2006–07 season, Silvestre scored his first away goal for United. He then suffered a foot injury. After recovering, he dislocated his shoulder. Despite injuries, he won his fourth Premier League medal that season. Manchester United won the league for the first time since 2003.
In the 2007–08 season, Silvestre faced another serious injury. He tore a knee ligament in September. This kept him out for most of the season. He made his return in March 2008. He played in a Champions League quarter-final match against Roma.
Moving to Arsenal
Silvestre moved to Arsenal on August 20, 2008. He signed a two-year contract. This transfer was notable because players rarely moved directly between Manchester United and Arsenal. He was given the number 18 shirt.
He played his first game for Arsenal on October 18, 2008. This was his 250th game in English football. He scored an own goal in his first Champions League game for Arsenal. However, Arsenal still won the match 5–2. His first league goal for Arsenal was against Tottenham Hotspur. The game ended in a 4-4 draw. He also played against his former club, Manchester United, which Arsenal won 2–1.
Later Career and Retirement
After the 2009–10 season, Arsenal released Silvestre. He became a free agent. He then signed for Werder Bremen in Germany. He scored his first goal for Bremen in a 2–0 win. He played 26 league games for them. He was released by Bremen at the end of the 2011–12 season.
In 2013, Silvestre joined MLS team Portland Timbers in the United States. He signed a two-year deal. However, he tore a knee ligament in May 2013. This injury kept him out for the rest of the season. He was released by Portland in January 2014.
On September 20, 2014, Silvestre joined Indian Super League team Chennaiyin. He played 14 games for them. At the end of the season, he announced his retirement from playing. He said he would explore coaching options.
International Career for France
Silvestre played for the French junior team in 1997. He earned his first senior cap for France in 2001. This was in a friendly match against Germany. France won that game 1–0.
He won the FIFA Confederations Cup twice with France. These wins were in 2001 and 2003. He also played one game in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. France reached the final of that tournament. After 2006, he did not play for the national team again. He was called up for a friendly in 2008 but did not play. He was also considered for the 2010 World Cup but did not make the squad.
Playing Style
Mikaël Silvestre was a very flexible defender. He could play as a left-sided full-back or as a centre-back. He was known for his speed and how long he could play without getting tired. He was also good at passing the ball and comfortable with it at his feet.
After Retirement
After retiring from playing, Silvestre became a director of football for his former club Rennes. He held this role from July 2015 to December 2016. In December 2021, he launched Talent Lyfe. This is an agency that helps represent athletes and young talent in sports.
Personal Life
Mikaël Silvestre's father, Franck, is from Guadeloupe.
Images for kids
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Silvestre in 2015
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Silvestre warming up before an Arsenal match
See also
In Spanish: Mikaël Silvestre para niños
