Silva gained his nickname ‘O Monstro' – Portuguese for monster – due to his imposing enjoying fashion however might simply have earned the moniker by means of his comeback story.
Rising up within the Campo Grande favelas in Rio de Janeiro and being deserted by his father on the age of 5, the pathway to turning into one of many twenty first century's biggest centre-backs has not been simple.
A route into European soccer got here for Silva as he left second-tier Juventude to affix Porto in 2004, aged 20, starting within the Portuguese membership's B group.
Nevertheless, throughout a reserve journey to Thailand, the defender started to really feel unwell with cold-like signs.
Within the days that adopted, he agreed a mortgage transfer to Dynamo Moscow however, after solely a handful of periods, Silva struggled to breathe or carry out even primary duties.
He was hospitalised and identified with tuberculosis. Docs knowledgeable him that if he had waited simply two extra weeks at house moderately than in search of medical assist, he might have died.
Silva was secure however not responding to remedy and remoted in a Moscow facility for six months as a result of contagious nature of the illness.
He was lastly capable of return to Portugal and, after an additional six months, was cured.
That 12 months out of soccer was a serious setback, in footballing phrases, and Silva returned to Brazil, becoming a member of Fluminense to rebuild his profession.
His return to Europe after two and a half years noticed him grow to be one of many world's finest at AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, finally seeing him earn 113 caps for Brazil.
