Bernardo Silva is more than just a footballer. He’s a time-traveling, shape-shifting superhero. He even looks the part—like a nine-volt battery of a man, taking on wild giants on the pitch. In 55 years of watching football, I’ve never seen anyone like him. For the past decade, I’ve been lucky enough to watch him play week in, week out for my club, Manchester City. And now it’s time to say goodbye.
Some footballers are known for playing almost every position on the field. James Milner, John O’Shea, and Phil Neville come to mind. They tend to be solid, steady types—reliable but not very creative. Silva, though, is in a league of his own when it comes to versatility. Not only is he incredibly skilled, but he often plays every position in a single match. Sometimes, he even plays every position in a single move. He’ll pick up the ball from the goalkeeper, like the Lisbon Beckenbauer and the most unlikely sweeper on earth. As the ball moves around in defense, he’ll pop up at right-back. More passing, and he’s now the brilliant playmaker, turning on a dime to thread a perfect pass through the smallest gap. More recycling. Then he appears on the wing to curl a cross toward the far post. By the time the ball is half-cleared to the edge of the box, Bernardo is there to blast a shot high and wide into the crowd.
To be fair, there have been great goals—the curler into the top corner against Arsenal, the screamer against United, the amazing volley against Birmingham in the FA Cup where he dances the ball into the net (it’s so unique that fans argue whether it’s a volley, half-volley, or a shot that defies description). Then there are the hugely important goals—none bigger than the two against Real Madrid in the 2023 Champions League semi-final. And the surprising number of headers for a man his height (he’s a genius at head tennis).
In Manchester City’s 2-1 win against Liverpool in January 2019, Bernardo Silva ran 13.7 kilometers, a Premier League record. His stats aren’t outstanding. He won’t be remembered for the number of goals or assists (76 goals and 77 assists in 459 appearances). But he will be remembered for his amazing grace, sharp intelligence, ability to find space where there is none, to beat players with subtle moves you don’t even see, and to dribble through brick walls. Most of all, he’ll be remembered for that superhuman double engine. The sheer stamina. He never seems to tire, never wants to be substituted, and is hardly ever injured. Bernardo is one of life’s great survivors. In City’s 2-1 home win over Liverpool in 2019, he ran 13.7 kilometers, the most ever recorded in a Premier League match. If he hadn’t been a world-class footballer, he could have been a samurai.
When it came to Manchester, he also endured. Every season he told us he wanted to leave, but that wasn’t because he didn’t love us. It was just that he and his family wanted sunnier weather. In the end, though, Manchester and City won out. Until now.
For 109 glorious games, Bernardo played in midfield alongside his namesake David. The original magician and his protégé. This was Pep’s prime pocket-sized era. Guardiola didn’t want players who could embarrass the opposition by putting the ball through their legs; he wanted players who could put themselves between opponents’ legs.
We used to sing to the Spandau Ballet classic: “Who needs Gold? Gold! We’ve got two Silvas, you know. David and Bernardo! We’re indestructible!” And we were. In the era of the two Silvas, City became the first and only Premier League team to get 100 points in a season and the first and only to win a domestic clean sweep of trophies. With one Silva.They went on to win a treble—the league, FA Cup, and Champions League—and became the first team to win four straight Premier League titles.
My friend BriceyG and I have a nickname for Bernardo that shows our age. To us, he was Schnorbitz, a nod to Bernie Winters’ lovable dog. In some ways, it couldn’t have been less fitting. Schnorbitz was a huge, clumsy, drooling Saint Bernard. But in other ways, it was perfect. Bernardo could dribble just as well as Schnorbitz, and there’s always been something puppy-like about him.
He’s cute, fun, and lovable—when he likes you. There are endless videos of City players carrying him around like a doll or tossing him into a pool for fun. But he can also bite. Rivals would love to have him on their team, but they can’t stand him when he plays for us. He’s a master of the tactical foul, the sly nudge, and he’s been known to leave his boot in. A couple of weeks ago against Brentford, he clashed with Nathan Collins, and I genuinely worried for the 6ft 4in defender. “Bernardo does have a tendency to rile opponents,” the commentator said admiringly. And his tongue can be just as sharp as his tackle. When asked in one video why he hadn’t been training in the gym, Bernardo said: “I don’t do gym. That’s for the guys who don’t know how to play with their feet.”
Maybe he was at his most prickly when City formed a guard of honour after Liverpool won the league in July 2020. He was the only City player who refused to clap the newly crowned champions. When the cameras zoomed in on him, it turned out he had a mug in his hand. Cupofteagate was a scandal that made him a legend at City. Afterwards, he explained himself in true Bernardo style. “In my opinion, it’s a kind of hypocrisy. It’s not a tradition we have in Portugal. If they want to do it, they can do it, but I wasn’t going to clap Liverpool because that’s not how I celebrate defeat. When I win a title, I don’t need anyone else to clap for me.”
In his final season at City, he’s been captain and led a new team to win the League Cup and FA Cup. Again, his numbers haven’t been anything special (three goals and five assists), but that only proves stats can lie. He’s leaving at his peak. He’s never been more everywhere than over the past nine months. This season, he’s not only been undroppable, he’s been almost unsubstitutable. My defining memory of Bernardo in 2025-26 is him flying through the air to beat Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres (6ft 2in) to a gravity-defying, potentially match-winning clearance. That header prompted Erling Haaland to tell him: “You were like fucking Cannavaro.”
For Pep, Bernardo was more than a footballer he admired, more than a player he dared not drop, more than an obsession. For Pep, Bernardo was an addiction. He put it best last December after City beat West Ham 3-0. “Bernie’s my weakness. My favourite one,” he said. Who am I to argue with Pep?
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Bernardo Silva capturing his unique blend of talent and personality
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Who is Bernardo Silva
Hes a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Manchester City and the Portugal national team Hes known for being incredibly skilled hardworking and versatile
2 What position does Bernardo Silva play
Hes famously versatile He can play as a central midfielder a winger on either side or even as a false nine His main role is usually in central midfield
3 Why do people say hes in a league of his own
Because he combines elite technical skills with nonstop running and a very smart football brain Very few players can do all of that at his level
4 What does versatile mean for a player like him
It means he can adapt to different roles in the team without losing quality He can defend create chances score goals and control the tempo of a game from almost any position on the pitch
5 Is Bernardo Silva a nice person
Yes hes widely considered a lovable character Hes known for being humble funny in interviews and a great teammate Hes also a family man
AdvancedLevel Questions
6 What does a bit of a sharp edge mean in his game
It refers to his competitive sometimes mischievous side Hes not just a graceful player hes also a master of dark artslike clever fouls tactical timewasting and getting under opponents skin Hes a lovable rogue on the pitch
7 What makes his dribbling so special
Its not about pure speed He uses a low center of gravity quick changes of direction and a unique ability to shuffle the ball to keep it away from defenders He rarely loses possession
8 How does he contribute defensively
Hes a pressing machine Hes one of the best in the world at reading passes and intercepting them Hell track back make tackles and cover for his teammates which is rare for such a creative player
