"I want to play until I'm 40": The Premier League star who looks to mimic Zlatan
The Swede has become famous for his longevity in football, and this former teammate of his wants to imitate him
Thiago Silva isn't quite done with football yet, as he's recently revealed. While the advances in medicine and sport science have made footballers careers ever longer, father time still catches everyone. However, the Brazilian centreback, who's still going strong at 38 years old, still plans to go for another couple of years, confessing his aim is not to retire before he reaches 40.
Thiago Silva became a Champions League winner with Chelsea
Some questioned the sense of bringing in a player who was then 35 years old from Paris Saint-Germain when the Brazilian joined Chelsea, but he's silenced the doubters. In his first season at Stamford Bridge, the former AC Milan man won the Champions League and, now aged 38, he's played every minute for Chelsea in the Premier League this season.
"It's very important for me that I can play at this level at this age but it's not easy, especially in the Premier League", Silva pointed out recently. "When I finish training, I come back home and think about how I can repair myself for tomorrow".
The Chelsea centreback is the model professional and has been for a long time, which has allowed him to keep at this level so late into his career. "The intensity is high from the first minute to the last one so you have to be ready all the time. I might be 38-years-old but I think I can help this team as much as possible", he added. "There are many things that help and players are also more professional now, players are like athletes today. The mental aspect is also very important".
Silva was also key in Chelsea's Club World Cup win
In this, Thiago Silva has the perfect mirror and advisor in a former teammate: Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The two shared a dressing room both at AC Milan and PSG, and Silva revelead he was inspired by the Swede: "I talk often with Zlatan and recently more often because Chelsea will play against AC Milan in the Champions League. My aim is to play until I'm 40 years old but I don't know if it will be this level or this competition. It depends on this season and we'll see what will happen in the World Cup. It also depends on a contract extension but yeah, my aim is to play until I'm 40".
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