There are certainly arguments over whether Benfica have produced and developed some of football’s best talents over the past decade.
In the past, players like Ederson, Nemanja Matic and Angel Di Maria made a name for themselves at the Estádio da Luz. Recently, Enzo Fernandes and Darwin Nunez made big money transfers abroad from Benfica.
Today, Benfica have a vast array of talent at their disposal, performing regularly week in week out. Anatoliy Trubin, Joao Neves and Marcos Leonardo are just some of the team’s exciting prospects, with many more looking to break through within the academy.
However, arguably the most interesting and important candidate of the current generation of talent is 20-year-old Antonio Silva. New boss Roger Schmidt called Silva up to the first team on August 27, 2022, when Benfica faced Boavista.
Since then, Silva hasn’t looked back, having played almost every minute for the Eagles, including minutes in the Champions League. While also becoming the youngest player to represent Portugal at a World Cup.
The young defender has been linked with a move from Portugal this summer to a string of clubs including Bayern Munich, Newcastle, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Here’s a look at what makes Silva an ideal fit for some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Old-fashioned style
The immediate comparison to Silva is former Benfica academy graduate Ruben Dias. Since his departure, he has been part of an incredible Manchester City team that has won multiple trophies.
Both men share similarities in terms of what they do out of possession, making a number of tackles, blocks and clearances, as they share qualities as proactive defenders.
However, the difference between the two comes down to when they are in possession of the ball. At Man City, Dias takes a calm approach, playing the ball in midfield or directing play to his full-backs, starting quick attacks. For Silva, he hardly plays any progressive passing and instead likes to bring the ball out from the back, similar to how we see Joel Matip and John Stones carry the ball in the Premier League.
Silva has since been described as an “old-school” defender, who is not afraid to attack the vital parts of the match, but also has the confidence to carry the ball himself, which plays into his ability to anticipate the match. plays the game so well and dictates how his play can create chances for his team.
Two steps ahead
One thing people talk about over and over again when it comes to Silva is his positioning, and that again depends on his anticipation.
When he first came to prominence in the Benfica first team, he had some difficult games, but the most notable was a Champions League match against PSG.
In this match, Silva was at the top of his game and left no space for Kylian Mbappe. Whether he’s shielding him from goal, stepping up and intercepting the play early or dropping deeper to match Mbappe’s pace. He could do anything.
If we add his aerial successes, which he was also able to show against PSG and Juventus in the group stage of the Champions League, this makes him not only a top defender, but also a danger when These are set pieces.
Essentially, Silva is a jack of all trades, with the ability to do just about anything a manager could need, while also being able to control the opposition’s attacking threat through his strength, anticipation, his composure and his rhythm. Which makes him a complete and dominant opponent.
Silva clearly has the potential to take it to the highest level of football, and he has given glimpses of what he can achieve in the future over the past two seasons.
It is likely that Benfica will lose the 20-year-old this summer, despite the huge price tag attached to his name.
However, Silva knows it is the right move this summer and takes his abilities to the next level, as he could become the next big thing among the limitless supply of talent coming from Benfica’s campus.
