Spanish Midfielder Silva: "It’s Time to Say Goodbye"

Former Spanish international David Silva announced his retirement from football today, Thursday, just days after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury during training with his club Real Sociedad. The 37-year-old midfielder injured his left knee while training ahead of his fourth season with the La Liga team. Silva said in a video posted on his social media accounts highlighting key moments from his career, “I am filled with sadness today. It’s time to say goodbye to football, which I dedicated my entire life to. It’s time to say goodbye to my teammates who have been like family to me. I will miss you all very much.” Silva was one of the best playmakers of his generation and enjoyed a trophy-laden career in both the English Premier League and La Liga, as well as with the Spanish national team. He won major titles including the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, while also winning the Copa del Rey twice, first with Valencia in 2008 and then with Sociedad in 2020. However, his most successful period was with Manchester City, where he won the Premier League four times, the FA Cup twice, and five League Cup titles over a decade from 2010 to 2020. Silva, a graduate of Valencia's academy, scored over 120 goals and provided around 200 assists in nearly 750 club matches, while netting 35 goals in 125 appearances for Spain. He was honored with a statue outside the Etihad Stadium in recognition of his contributions to the club's success after leaving in 2020.