David Silva (footballer, born October 1986)

Not to be confused with David Mendes da Silva or David Silva.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Mendes and the second or paternal family name is da Silva.
David Silva
Silva with CSKA Sofia in 2009
Personal information
Full name David Mendes da Silva
Date of birth (1986-10-11) 11 October 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Coimbra, Portugal
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Bettembourg
Number 3
Youth career
Porto[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2007 FC Porto
2007–2008 Tourizense 33 (4)
2008–2009 Lokomotiv Mezdra 15 (2)
2009–2010 CSKA Sofia 13 (1)
2010 → Castellón (loan) 6 (0)
2010–2012 Kilmarnock 45 (4)
2012–2013 Olhanense 16 (1)
2013–2014 Kilmarnock 3 (0)
2015 Jaro 10 (0)
2016 Bangkok 20 (9)
2017 Songkhla United
2018 US Mondorf 12 (0)
2019–2022 US Mondorf 66 (6)
2022– Bettembourg 61 (10)
International career‡
2012–2013 Cape Verde 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 June 2013

David Mendes da Silva (born 11 October 1986) is a footballer as a winger for Bettembourg in Luxembourg.

He began his career at Porto, where he did not make the first team, and also played in Bulgaria, Scotland, Spain, Finland, Thailand and Luxembourg.

Born in Portugal to Cape Verdean parents, he earned seven caps for Cape Verde at full international level. He was part of their squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Club career

After spending the first three years of his career in his home country with Porto B and Tourizense, Silva relocated to Bulgaria in June 2008, signing a three-year contract with Lokomotiv Mezdra. He played 15 games in the Bulgarian first division, scoring two goals.

He left in January 2009 for CSKA Sofia along with teammate Rui Miguel.[2] He scored his first goal with a powerful long-range shot from about 25 metres (82 ft) in his first match for CSKA in the A PFG against Belasitsa, a 3–0 win. In January 2010, he was transferred to CD Castellón for the remainder of the season.[3] On 23 June 2010, his contract with CSKA was terminated by mutual consent.[4]

On 1 August 2010, Silva signed a two-year deal with Kilmarnock after impressing as a trialist in pre-season.[5] He was Mixu Paatelainen's first signing as manager.[1]

Silva spent the 2012–13 season in Portugal, at Olhanense. On his second Primeira Liga appearance, he scored his only goal to equalise in a 1–1 draw at Académica de Coimbra on 24 August.[6]

Silva returned to Kilmarnock on 26 September 2013, signing until the end of the season.[7] After failing to prove his fitness, he was released in January 2014.[8]

After spells in Finland's Veikkausliiga with FF Jaro and in Thailand with Bangkok F.C. and Songkhla United, Silva signed for US Mondorf-les-Bains in the Luxembourg National Division in June 2019.[9]

For me it is a pride and an honour to represent the country of my parents. Although I was born already in Portugal, I grew up in a Cape Verdean atmosphere, in Venda Nova, and so I have a very strong connection to the country.

–David Silva[10]

International career

In October 2012, Silva received his first call up for the Cape Verdean national team, for a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Cameroon on 14 October.[11]

Silva was called up for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, his country's first major tournament. He made one appearance in the opening game, as a 76th-minute substitute for Héldon Ramos in a goalless draw against hosts South Africa.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b Moffat, Colin (1 August 2010). "Kilmarnock sign midfielder David Silva". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  2. ^ David Silva and Rui Miguel are joining the team[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ "El Castellón confirma la cesión de David Mendes". AS.com (in Spanish). 18 January 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  4. ^ ЦСКА се раздели с двама играчи Archived 26 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine, sportal.bg (in Bulgarian)
  5. ^ "Kilmarnock snap up Portuguese winger David Silva as club look at further signings". Sunday Mail. 1 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Sétimo empate do campeonato no Académica – Olhanense" [Seventh draw of the championship in Académica – Olhanense] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  7. ^ "David Silva signs until the end of the season". kilmarnockfc.co.uk. 26 September 2013. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  8. ^ "Transfer Deadline Day: Kilmarnock take Sunderland's Karlsson". BBC Sport. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  9. ^ "Découvrez les nouvelles recrues de l'US Mondorf" [Discover US Mondorf's new recruits] (in French). RTL. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  10. ^ ""É um orgulho representar o país dos meus pais"" ["It's a pride to represent the country of my parents"] (in Portuguese). Esporte Brasil. 4 October 2012. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  11. ^ [1] (in Portuguese)
  12. ^ "Cape Verde dampens SAfrica spirits in 0-0 draw". Fox Sports. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2022.