Bernardo Silva is a Portuguese football star who is an attacking midfielder or right winger for Manchester City and the Portugal national team.
He is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, with a remarkable combination of creativity, dribbling, stamina, versatility, and work-rate.
He has won numerous trophies and awards with his clubs and country and has been praised by fans, teammates, and managers for his skill, vision, and personality.
Profile
- Full name: Bernardo Mota Veiga de Carvalho e Silva
- Nickname: Bubblegum
- Date of birth: 10 August 1994
- Age: 29 years old
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Lisbon, Portugal
- Nationality: Portuguese
- Profession: Footballer
- Height: 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)Parents: Miguel Silva (father), Maria João Mota Veiga (mother)
- Siblings: Margarida Silva (sister), Teresa Silva (sister)
- Spouse: Alicia Verrando (fiancée)
- Children: None
- Relationship status: Engaged
- Net worth: $30 million
Early Life & Education
Bernardo Silva, now 29, was born on 10 August 1994 in Lisbon, Portugal. He is the son of Miguel Silva, a lawyer, and Maria João Mota Veiga, a painter. He has two younger sisters, Margarida and Teresa.
He grew up in a wealthy and cultured family and was exposed to art, music, and literature from a young age.
He attended the prestigious Colégio dos Plátanos, where he excelled academically and showed a keen interest in history and geography. He also developed a passion for football and joined Benfica’s youth academy at 8.
He was a talented and versatile player who could play in various positions and had a flair for dribbling and passing. He debuted for Benfica B in 2013, and his performances impressed the coaches and fans. After one year, he dropped out of college to focus on his football career.
Personal Life
Bernardo Silva is engaged to Alicia Verrando, a model from Monaco. They met in 2016, when he played for Monaco, and have been together ever since.
They announced their engagement in 2020 and plan to get married in 2024. They live in Manchester, England, with their two dogs, Luna and Simba. Bernardo Silva, a devout Catholic, has a tattoo of Benfica’s motto, “E Pluribus Unum,” on his arm.
He enjoys Cristiano Ronaldo and Diogo Morgado and considers them his role models. He loves Italian food and listening to music, especially Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars.
He is fluent in Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish and is learning Italian. He is also involved in charitable and social causes, such as UNICEF, Save the Children, and Kick It Out.
Career
Bernardo Silva began his professional career with Benfica but only got a few opportunities to play for the first team.
He was loaned to Monaco in 2014 and then signed permanently in 2015. He quickly became a key player for the French club, forming a formidable partnership with Kylian Mbappé, Radamel Falcao, and Thomas Lemar.
He helped Monaco win the Ligue 1 title in 2017, breaking Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance, and reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, where they lost to Juventus. He scored 28 goals and provided 19 assists in 147 appearances for Monaco.
He joined Manchester City 2017 for a reported fee of £43.5 million. He adapted well to the Premier League and became vital to Pep Guardiola’s team. He has won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and five EFL Cups with Manchester City.
He also helped Manchester City reach their first UEFA Champions League final in 2021, where they lost to Chelsea, and win their first-ever continental treble in 2023, beating Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup and Flamengo in the FIFA Club World Cup. He has scored 54 goals and provided 68 assists in 238 appearances for Manchester City.
He was named Manchester City’s Player of the Year in 2019 and was part of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. He was also shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or in 2019, finishing fourth behind Lionel Messi, Virgil van Dijk, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
He made his senior debut for Portugal in 2015, earned 87 caps, and scored 11 goals. He has represented Portugal at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, where they finished third; 2018 FIFA World Cup, where they reached the round of 16; 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals, where they won the title on home soil; UEFA Euro 2020, where Belgium eliminated them in the round of 16, and 2022 FIFA World Cup, where they are currently in the quarter-finals.
He won the 2019 UEFA Nations League on home soil and was named the Player of the Tournament. He is considered one of the Portugal national team’s leaders and most influential players, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and Rúben Dias.
Net Worth
Bernardo Silva has an estimated net worth of $30 million.
He earns a salary of £150,000 per week from Manchester City and has endorsement deals with Nike, EA Sports, Pepsi, and Gillette.
He owns a luxury mansion in Manchester and drives a Range Rover and a Ferrari.
Controversy
Bernardo Silva has been involved in some controversies in his career, mainly due to his jokes and comments on social media.
In 2019, he posted a tweet comparing his teammate Benjamin Mendy to a character from a Spanish chocolate brand, Conguitos, which was deemed racist by some people.
He deleted the tweet and apologized but was still fined £50,000 and banned by the Football Association for one match. He also faced criticism for mocking his female friend, Alice Campello, Alvaro Morata’s wife, for supporting Juventus.
He later clarified that it was a friendly banter and that he respected Campello and Morata. He has also been accused of diving and cheating by opponents and pundits, but he has denied these allegations and defended his integrity.
Social Media
- Instagram: @bernardocarvalhosilva
- Twitter: @BernardoCSilva
