Gilberto Silva

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For other people named Gilberto, see Gilberto.
Gilberto Silva
Personal information
Full name Gilberto Aparecido da Silva
Date of birth October 7, 1976 (1976-10-07) (age 31)
Place of birth    Lagoa da Prata, Brazil
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Playing position Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current club Arsenal
Number 19
Youth clubs
1988–1993 América (MG)
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1997–2000
2000–2002
2002–		 América (MG)
Atlético Mineiro
Arsenal		 020 0(1)
062 0(4)
170 (17)   
National team2
2001– Brazil 059 0(3)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 13:31, 19 April 2008 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 16:50, 22 November 2007 (UTC).
* Appearances (Goals)

Gilberto Aparecido da Silva (born October 7, 1976 in Lagoa da Prata, Minas Gerais, Brazil), commonly known as Gilberto Silva (IPA: [ʒɪwbextu siwvɐ]), is a Brazilian footballer. He has played most of his club football for the English club Arsenal, as a defensive midfielder.

Gilberto was raised in a poor family and as a child he balanced playing football with various labour jobs.[2] He began his football career in 1997 with América Mineiro, where good form earned him a move to Atlético Mineiro in 2000. He became a star player for Atlético, playing for three years in the Brazilian Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. He came to particular prominence when he helped the Brazilian national team win the 2002 FIFA World Cup, playing in all seven of Brazil's matches.[3]

In August 2002, for a fee of £4.5 million,[4] he joined Arsenal with whom he won the 2004 FA Premier League, and two FA Cup trophies. In his first five seasons with the club he played 208 games and scored 23 goals. On 19 August 2006 he scored Arsenal's first competitive goal at the newly built Emirates Stadium.[5] He was made vice-captain of Arsenal in 2006[6] and is contracted to the club until June 2009.[7] In 2007 he was selected as Brazil captain for the Copa América tournament, which Brazil went on to win.[8]

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

As a child Gilberto lived in the city of Lagoa da Prata with his father (a blacksmith), his mother (a housewife) and three sisters.[2] His family lived in a small house which his father built, in the district of Usina Luciânia. Despite financial hardship, causing his sisters and him to share a single room, he had a relatively carefree childhood: he describes it as "[a time when] I had no responsibility in my life, I played football on the street with cousins and friends, and we never had any contact with drugs or violence".[9] In 1988 (aged 12), he got the chance to break out of poverty by playing football, joining América Mineiro as a youth player. It was during these years at América Mineiro that Gilberto was taught defensive discipline by playing as a central defender. When not playing football, Gilberto was taught furniture-making skills by his father, which he would come to use in the following years. In 1991, Gilberto's father retired leaving the 15-year-old to provide financially for his whole family, a task made more difficult by his mother's ill-health.[10]

We were a poor family and had to work hard. That's why, as a boy, I had to take those jobs as a labourer and in the factory. But I'm glad I had that tough start. It makes me identify with people who are not so lucky.
Gilberto Silva[11]

Because of the low wage at América Mineiro, he was forced to quit football to take various jobs as a labourer, a carpenter, and a worker in a sweet factory. It looked as if this would be the end of his childhood dream.[12] As a factory-worker Gilberto earned the equivalent of about £50 a month by 2002 rates.[13][14] After three years of working in a factory, the 18-year-old decided to try his luck at football again by enrolling in the local club's youth academy. His time in the academy did not last long due to the worsening situation at home as a result of his mother's ill health; he returned to work in the sweet factory with little hope of resurrecting his football career.

[edit] Early career

In 1997, Gilberto's friends tried to convince him to give football another try, which led to him re-signing for América Mineiro on June 1, 1997, this time as a full-time professional. Aged 21, Gilberto played as a central defender for the first team. During his first season for América Mineiro he was regarded as a key player by the club, despite being criticised by some fans for inconsistency.[13] He helped them win the Série B division, and consequently gain promotion to Série A.

During Gilberto's third season at América Mineiro, with the team back to Série B after relegation in Série A in 1999, he played 20 games and scored one goal, helping the club to finish runners-up in the league. In 2000, aged 24, he joined rival club Atlético Mineiro. In his first season for the club, he fractured his right tibia and, as a result, missed a number of games.[11] In his second season, he was moved by the manager Carlos Alberto Parreira from central defence to a defensive midfield role where he flourished. He scored three goals in the 2001 season and became a revelation in Brazilian club football.[15]

In October 2001, his good performances from that year earned Gilberto a call-up to the Brazilian national team ("A Seleção") by Luiz Felipe Scolari for the 2002 World Cup qualification games.[16] He made his international debut against Chile on October 7, coming on as a substitute. On November 7, he made his debut in the starting line-up of the national team against Bolivia. His international career continued to flourish in early 2002: he scored twice against Bolivia and once against Iceland. In 2002, he was a surprise inclusion in the Brazil squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan. He was expected to play a bit part in the tournament. However, defensive midfielder and Brazilian team captain Emerson was injured in training just before the first World Cup game.[17] In light of the setback, coach Scolari called upon Gilberto to fill the gap which Emerson left. Gilberto ended up playing in every minute of every match of the tournament, which Brazil went on to win.[18] In the words of Veja magazine, Gilberto "carried the piano for Ronaldo and Rivaldo to play their tunes on".[13] He was not without attacking use either, setting up Ronaldo's semi-final goal to put Brazil through to the final.[19] It was Gilberto's performance in this tournament which led to him being classed as one of the top defensive midfielders in the world.[20]

[edit] Senior career

Gilberto's performance in the 2002 FIFA World Cup caught the attention of many coaches. Gilberto expressed a desire to move to England, saying, "It would be fantastic to play against the likes of David Beckham again."[21] As a result, Aston Villa and Arsenal led the chase to sign him. In August, while still under contract to Atlético Mineiro, Gilberto joined Arsenal on their pre-season tour of Austria; while he had not yet signed for Arsenal the deal looked set to go ahead. However, complications arose when a transfer embargo was placed on Atlético Mineiro due to unpaid wages to some players at the club, including Gilberto.[22][23] There was also an issue of obtaining a UK work permit for Gilberto.[24] Despite the complications, Gilberto ended a summer of speculation and joined Arsenal on August 7, 2002 for a fee of £4.5 million. Upon signing Gilberto, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said, "What I like was the fact that he kept things simple. He can play all across the midfield but the holding role just in front of the defence is what he does best."[22]

Gilberto defending a corner for Arsenal at Highbury in April of 2006
Gilberto defending a corner for Arsenal at Highbury in April of 2006

When Gilberto moved to England and began training with Arsenal, he bought a house in St Albans, South Hertfordshire.[25] Having been used to life in small Brazilian towns, he initially struggled to adapt to the new way of life in London.[26] However, on the pitch, he settled in very quickly. On August 11, 2002 he made his Arsenal debut as a substitute against Liverpool in the second half of the FA Community Shield game in which he scored the winning goal. As the 2002–03 Premiership season began, Gilberto faced stiff competition for a place in midfield from compatriot Edu. After two substitute appearances Gilberto finally broke into the starting eleven on August 27, helping Arsenal to a 5–2 win against West Bromwich Albion. Gilberto's good form continued as he set a new record for the fastest goal scored in the UEFA Champions League, scoring after 20.07 seconds against PSV Eindhoven on September 25, 2002.[27] However, his legal problems continued, since his transfer to England still was not fully resolved. As a result Gilberto instructed his lawyers to start legal proceedings against Atlético Mineiro for unpaid wages in November 2002.[28] Atlético Mineiro were alleged to have only paid Gilberto 50% of his fee for moving to Arsenal. For the second half of the 2002–03 season, he remained a regular starter in the Arsenal side. Even though he suffered a lapse in form towards the end of the season, he won an FA Cup winner's medal, playing in the final at the Millennium Stadium as Arsenal beat Southampton 1–0.

2003–04 was an even better season for Gilberto, as he was instrumental in helping Arsenal win the FA Premier League title whilst going the entire season unbeaten. He played in 32 of Arsenal's 38 unbeaten Premiership games during the season. His next season started equally impressively, as he scored the first goal in Arsenal's 3–1 FA Community Shield win over Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium. During the opening games of the season, he started to experience severe pain in his back, and after a match at Bolton on September 27, 2004, a scan revealed he had fractured his back. At first it was reported that he would be out of action for a month.[29] Later reports suggested the injury could be season-threatening.[30]

If you never give up then you always have a chance, and they got a great example from a World Cup winner. You only have to see where Gilberto was when we got the ball back and where he was when he scored his goal. Remember this is a guy who has won everything.
Arsène Wenger[31]

Gilberto's doctor ordered him to wear a back brace for three months to aid the healing of the fractured bone.[32] Gilberto returned to his native Brazil for the duration of his rehabilitation.[33] During his time there, he doubted whether he would ever be able to play football again, due to speculation that his injury could threaten his career.[32] Despite his concerns, his long rehabilitation time paid off as he made a full recovery. He made his footballing comeback in Arsenal's 4–1 victory over Norwich City on April 22, 2005. During the whole 2004–05 season, Gilberto was injured for 7 months and played only 17 games. His absence, combined with Arsenal's slump in form at the time, led to much discussion regarding the importance of Gilberto to the Arsenal team;[34] some suggesting that Arsenal struggled without him.[22] Gilberto's difficult 2004–05 season ended in consolation as Arsenal finished runners-up in the Premiership and won the FA Cup against Manchester United on penalties. During the summer which followed, on June 22, 2005, Gilberto played in Brazil's 1–1 draw against Japan, in his only game of the 2005 Confederations Cup. His absence as a first team regular could be explained by his lack of games, and thus match fitness, for Arsenal during the season leading up to the tournament. Gilberto's appearance in the tournament gained him a winners medal, as Brazil went on to win the competition.

In June 2005, football agent Jacques Lichtenstein took Atlético Mineiro to court over Gilberto's transfer in 2002. Lichtenstein's lawyer argued that he and his informal partner, Ronny Rosenthal, never received an allegedly agreed 10% commission from Gilberto's £4.5 million transfer to Arsenal from Atlético Mineiro in July 2002.[35] Arsène Wenger and Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein both gave evidence in court, saying that Arsenal dealt directly with Atlético Mineiro and that no agent was involved in the deal.[36] The case was conducted before The Hon. Mr Justice Jack, who on June 29 ruled against Lichtenstein, and ordered the claimants pay Atletico Minéiro £94,000 in legal costs.[37] A year later, the case could have caused problems for Arsenal, when former player Ashley Cole criticised the club for "hypocrisy and double standards" in the way they approached Gilberto.[38]

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

With legal matters subsided, the 2005–06 season began. Following midfielder and team captain Patrick Vieira's departure from Arsenal, Gilberto became a senior member of the Arsenal team.[9] Shortly into the season, in September 2005, his desire to see his career out with the club led to Gilberto extending his Arsenal contract to June 2009.[7] A month later this loyalty was repaid when, on October 18, 2005, Gilberto made his first appearance for Arsenal as captain, against Sparta Prague.[39] Although Gilberto had a period of bad form during the winter months of the season, his good defensive performances during the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League (in particular, games against Real Madrid,[40] Juventus FC[41][42] and Villarreal CF[43]) gained him praise. On May 17, 2006 Gilberto played for Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League Final against FC Barcelona, which Arsenal lost 2–1. During the summer which followed the 2005–06 season, AC Milan and Olympique Lyon were both rumoured to have expressed an interest in signing Gilberto.[44][45] Neither clubs followed up with official offers. On the back of his good Champions League form, Gilberto was selected for the Brazil national football team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Gilberto was substituted on in two games, and started twice due to another injury to Emerson. Brazil were beaten 1–0 by France in the quarter final. Following Brazil's World Cup disappointment, midfielder Juninho called for the older members of the Brazil squad (including Gilberto) to retire from international football.[46] On the back of Gilberto's childhood idol Dunga[11] being appointed Brazil coach,[47] Gilberto did not take Juninho's advice, and subsequently continued his international career.

Following the departure of defender Sol Campbell and retirement of striker Dennis Bergkamp in the summer of 2006, Gilberto was announced as Arsenal's vice-captain for the 2006–07 season.[6] He began the season well, as he scored the first ever goal at the Dutch DSB Stadion in a pre-season friendly match. He then scored Arsenal's first ever goal in a competitive match at the Emirates Stadium in a 1–1 draw with Aston Villa. His good form continued for Arsenal as he scored several league goals, garnering praise for his performances as stand-in captain while Thierry Henry was injured.[48][49] The turn of 2007 saw Gilberto linked to Juventus,[50][51] a rumour which Arsène Wenger quickly dismissed.[52] Gilberto and his agent (Paulo Villana) also reiterated the player's desire to honour his contract with the Gunners.[53] Meanwhile, Gilberto's good form carried through to the second half of the season. Even though Arsenal only managed to finish fourth in the league, he ended the season as Arsenal's second highest scorer with ten Premiership goals.[53] The explanation for his unusually high tally is the fact that Henry suffered two lengthy injury spells, in which Gilberto stepped up as captain to take penalties. Gilberto's goal scoring record combined with his own good form in midfield and his leadership of Wenger's youthful squad led some Arsenal fans and football pundits to label Gilberto as Arsenal's best player of the season, and one of the best in the Premiership.[54][55][56] On 1 June 2007, Gilberto captained Brazil[57] for the first full England international at the new Wembley Stadium. Having had a seemingly good headed goal disallowed after 20 minutes,[58] he set up Brazil's only goal as the game ended 1–1.[59] During the summer of 2007 Gilberto played in the Copa America tournament, in which he was chosen to captain Brazil in the absence of Lúcio.[60] They went on to beat Argentina 3–0 in the final, though he missed the final game through suspension.[60]

Gilberto Silva discussing with Nani
Gilberto Silva discussing with Nani

The buildup of the 2007–08 season saw Arsenal captain Thierry Henry leave the club to join Barcelona.[61] This coupled with the fact that Gilberto was Arsenal's vice-captain during the 2006–07 season led many people to assume that Gilberto would take over Henry's role.[62][63] However, to the surprise of Gilberto,[64] William Gallas was given the captain's armband instead.[65] In August, after returning to Arsenal's pre-season training late due to his involvement in the Copa America tournament[66] (and thus missing the start of the season),[67] Gilberto then lost his place in the first team to in-form midfielder Mathieu Flamini.[68] This reignited speculation linking Gilberto to Italy due to rumours that he was unhappy being on the bench at Arsenal.[66][69] However, reports that he was being snubbed at the club were dismissed by Wenger, who insisted that Gilberto would remain at Arsenal to fight for his place.[70][71] Despite this, in October 2007, rumours in the press reemerged that Gilberto was angry at Wenger for being asked to play in defence in a Carling Cup game against Sheffield United, and had resultantly refused to play.[72] Gilberto ended up playing the game in midfield though,[73] with he and Wenger both denying rumours of a rift with each other.[74][75][76] Gilberto subsequently commented that while he was not happy being a substitute, he would remain professional and fight for his place at the club.[77] Also in October, Gilberto ceded the Brazilian captaincy to Lúcio upon his compatriot's return from injury.[78] Though rumours persisted which suggested that Gilberto would leave Arsenal in the January 2008 transfer window,[79] he ended up remaining with the club.[80] Through the winter months of the 2007-08 season, Gilberto started a limited number of games for The Gunners, though he kept his place in the Brazil team, starting several games for A Seleção.[81][82][83] After becoming more and more frustrated with not playing regularly, Gilberto admitted in February 2008 that he had been made to feel "totally useless" by Wenger.[84] Despite this, he declined to make a decision on his future;[85] something which prompted Wenger to promise talks with Gilberto.[86] Amidst Gilberto's frustration at Arsenal, he targeted playing in Brazil's Olympic bid in Beijing during August of 2008;[87] a competition which he had never played in. Off the pitch, Gilberto was reported to have passed his UK Citizenship test, and that he would subsequently apply for a British passport.[88] April saw Gilberto's season take a turn for the better; making 5 starts – a substantial portion of his seasonal total of 12 – even managing to score a goal. The goal came against Reading on April 19, and despite its deflective nature leading to some classing it as a possible own goal,[89] the Premier League's Dubious Goals Panel eventually credited the goal to Gilberto.[90] Gilberto's return to favour couldn't stop Arsenal's 2007-08 season ending trophyless. The club subsequently faced the possibility of several players leaving;[91] among those rumoured to leave was Flamini, the player who had kept Gilberto out of the first team. The Frenchman ended up moving to AC Milan on May 6,[92] and a subsequent gap was left in the Arsenal midfield. Gilberto became less likely to leave the club during Summer 2008 as a result, and Wenger remarked that he wanted to keep Gilberto;[93], Gilberto saying he wanted to stay[94] and possibly even renew his contract at Arsenal.[95] Gilberto finished the 2007-08 season with 36 appearances for Arsenal, albeit only 12 of these being Premiership starts.[96] Following the end of the Premiership season, Gilberto was called up to the Brazil national team for World Cup qualifiers during the summer as well as a tour of the USA.[97]

In the past, Gilberto has indicated that he would see out his remaining contract with Arsenal,[7] while also expressing a desire to extend it beyond 2009.[98][77] However, he has also hinted that he may one day return to Brazil to play for Atlético Mineiro;[99] while also not ruling out a move to Italy.[100] After his football career finishes, he has said that he would like to, "Live in a small farm and ride a horse and have all of my family next to me."[101]

[edit] Style of play

Gilberto is often called "the invisible wall" (or "volante") in Brazil.[11] His play often goes unnoticed as he positions himself between the two centre backs and the rest of midfield, breaking up opposition attacks before they gather momentum. In this role, he is a part of the defensive unit for both club and country.[102] As Arsenal and Brazil are both attack minded teams, he offers cover for attacking wing-backs and other midfielders who have a poor record of dropping back to help the defence. When playing, Gilberto occasionally drops into the centre of defence to cover the central defenders, usually Lúcio for Brazil and Kolo Touré for Arsenal, who are both known for their attacking runs forward with the ball. Gilberto's style of defending is unlike that of normal midfield enforcers. Whereas some midfielders such as Robbie Savage and Roy Keane are very strong in the challenge, Gilberto is more passive when he defends. Rather than tackle a player, he is more likely to shadow him, thus pushing him back.[103] As a result, he has an unusually clean record for a defensive midfielder: he has twice gone 45 games or more without receiving a single booking during his Arsenal career.[104] This mentality earns him both praise and criticism.

Gilberto is good at helping to defend against opponents who play a long-ball game because he often man marks the opposition's attacking target-man. This cuts off the opposition's supply to the strikers, and thus forces the long-ball team to play through the midfield, something to which long-ball teams are not particularly suited.[105]

Despite Gilberto's high pass completion rate,[106] his passing has been described as erratic in the past.[107] A possible explanation for this, is Gilberto's short passing range. He is more likely to offload the ball frequently to midfield players close around him (such as Cesc Fàbregas), thus easily gaining a high pass completion rate. These short-range passes often go unnoticed, while relatively infrequent long-range incomplete passes often receive negative attention, although not enough to significantly lower his overall pass completion rate.

According to ProZone (a data analysis system used by football managers) figures cited by The Sunday Times in January 2007, Gilberto was, together with Paul Scholes of Manchester United and Frank Lampard of Chelsea, one of the few midfielders in England to attain "the elite Champions League level" of performance.[108]

[edit] Outside football

Gilberto Silva at a photo shoot for The Street League
Gilberto Silva at a photo shoot for The Street League

Gilberto is known for his gentlemanly sportsmanship and cool, unfluttered temperament on the pitch. He rarely, if ever, gets into on-field confrontations, and is usually seen as a peacemaker during any bust-up. Off pitch, he has been described as polite, conscientious and soft-spoken by interviewers.[109]

Gilberto is a patron of The Street League, a UK based charity which organises football matches for homeless people, refugees and asylum seekers. In June 2003, Gilberto travelled to Brazil on tour with 17 Street League players.[110] The tour included a visit to his home town Lagoa da Prata and games against local shanty town teams at the Maracanã stadium.

Gilberto plays a tune on a mandolin
Gilberto plays a tune on a mandolin

Gilberto is a keen musician. In his spare time he plays the mandolin and the guitar. When he first moved to England he took up mandolin lessons and played publicly at his local pub in St Albans. He later started learning the guitar instead.[111] Like many Brazilian footballers he plays samba music with his teammates in the Seleção (the Brazilian national team) when they are relaxing in between international matches.

Gilberto has a Giant Anteater named after him at London Zoo. Gilberto is an adoptee of the animal, which he received from a London Zoo competition winner. The footballer described the South American animal as "my slightly more hairy brother!"[112]

[edit] Career statistics

Club performance[104][113]
Club Season Premiership FA Cup League Cup Europe Others Total
App Goals Assists App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Arsenal 2007–08 17 0 0 3 0 3 0 6 0 0 0 29 0
2006–07 34 10 1 3 0 1 0 9 1 0 0 47 11
2005–06 33 2 1 1 0 3 1 10 1 1 0 48 4
2004–05 13 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 17 1
2003–04 32 4 1 3 0 1 0 8 0 1 0 45 4
2002–03 35 0 2 3 0 0 0 12 2 1 1 51 3
Subtotal 164 16 6 15 0 8 1 46 4 4 2 237 23
Club Season Série A — — — — Total
App Goals Assists App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Atlético Mineiro 2001 24 3 — — — — — — — — — 24 3
2000 38 1 — — — — — — — — — 38 1
Subtotal 62 4 — — — — — — — — — 62 4
Club Season Série A — — — — Total
App Goals Assists App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
América Mineiro 1999 20 1 — — — — — — — — — 20 1
1998 — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Série B — — — — — — — — — —
1997 — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Grand total 246 21 6 15 0 8 1 46 4 4 2 325 28

(Statistics correct as of 30 March 2008)

International appearances[114]
National team Season Apps Goals
Brazil 2001–02 14 (1) 3
2002–03 5 (0) 0
2003–04 8 (1) 0
2004–05 4 (0) 0
2005–06 9 (2) 0
2006–07 15 (0) 0
2007–08 4 (0) 0
Total 59 (4) 3

(Statistics correct as of November 22, 2007)
(Brackets indicate appearances in non-FIFA matches, and do not count towards total)

[edit] Honours

With Brazil:

With América-MG:

With Atlético-MG:

With Arsenal:

[edit] References

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  51. ^ Juventus: G. Silva set to sign, Gerrard is the dream. Talks with Inter about Adriano and Samuel, calciomercato.com (15 March 2007). Retrieved on 27 March 2007.
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  54. ^ Ronaldo stands out from rest by any calculations, Times Online, (12 May 2007) Retrieved on 15 May 2007.
  55. ^ And my Player of the Year is..., The Electric New Paper, Daniel Finkelstein, (14 May 2007) Retrieved on 15 May 2007.
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Persondata
NAME Gilberto Aparecido da Silva
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gilberto Silva
SHORT DESCRIPTION Brazilian football player
DATE OF BIRTH 7 October 1976
PLACE OF BIRTH Lagoa da Prata, Minas Gerais, Brazil
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH