SURVIVOR WHO BECAME A SUPERSTAR
Brazilian legend Thiago almost lost his life to tuberculosis aged just 21
THIAGO SILVA still counts himself lucky to be alive.
Chelsea’s new signing was approaching his 21st birthday, 15 years ago, when he was struck down by tuberculosis.
At the time Silva, struggling at Porto, had been shipped out on loan to Dynamo Moscow. A persistent cough went untreated at first but was later diagnosed as TB and he spent six months in a hospital.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star, who is set for his Chelsea debut in the Carabao Cup tonight, said: “That was one of the worst experiences in my life. My life could have been over but, thank goodness, I overcame that illness and today I can now say I am victorious both professionally and personally.
“You have a dream as a child to become a professional footballer and when I got TB it seemed that the dream would be over. Now I am a champion not just in football but also in life.
“Thank God that I had the strength to overcome it.”
Even now, Silva, 36 yesterday, winces at the recollection of those dark days in hospital.
“It is difficult to talk about it because it brings back all the memories,” he said.
“The doctor told me that I had not been cured and that I needed an operation on my lung, that my football career would be over.
“But little by little I got better. Then, with dedication, I man managed to play football.”
Silva has gone on to win 89 caps for Brazil, played for AC Milan, won seven league titles with PSG, and is now at Chelsea seeking a fresh challenge.
Ready to be the defensive leader Frank Lampard has called for, the Brazilian insists that his age is not an issue. Nor is the frenetic pace ce of Premier League football.
“I’m coming here as an older player but Frank Lampard and Chelsea want a player with my experience,” he said. “If you want someone as a runner...I’ll use the words of Carlo Ancelotti when he signed James Rodriguez for Everton: ‘If you want someone just to run, , sign Usain Bolt’.”
Silva, for so long regarded as one of the best defenders in European football, spoke through an interpreter but has a determination to become fluent in English.
“It’s going to be difficult, it always is with a new language,” he said. “But you are talking to someone who speaks Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese. When you learn some languages, others sometimes come easier.”
Silva, who led PSG to the
Champions League final this summer, said a move to the Premier League had never interested him earlier in his career. “I’d never seen myself in the Premier League,” he said. “I saw it as a difficult style of football and I didn’t have any desire to play in it. My impression was that it was all long balls, high balls, long shots.
“I couldn’t really see myself playing in that championship. But I’ve seen that it has developed tremendously. There’s a lot more technical quality, a lot of teams play with the ball on the ground.”
And even at 36 his ambition has not been dulled. “I will do my best and contribute to this team,” he said. “I’ve accepted this challenge, it’s going to be really good for me. My ambition is to play in the World Cup when
I’m 38.”
“I know I come to the Premier League as an older player but, as Carlo Ancelotti said, if you want someone just to run, then sign Usain Bolt.”