HomeFast & FuriousEL MAGO'S LEGACY

EL MAGO’S LEGACY

Shreyas Rai
By Shreyas Rai

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David Silva iconic moments

A true midfield magician of Etihad, Spaniard David Silva was a generational talent throughout his playing career at Manchester City. An instrumental player for the Sky Blues, Silva racked up crucial goals, delivered the perfect balls, and had the honour of winning almost everything there is to win with the Citizens.

 

 

Awarding the Spanish legend, Manchester City has announced that the club will honour David Silva with a statue for El Mago. Considered a club legend, Silva left Manchester City a year ago but his legacy will resonate around Etihad forever. We at FootTheBall take a look at the top-10 iconic moments in David Silva’s career.

 

THE FIRST OF MANY

The game that announced the arrival of David Silva in England’s top-flight. The Spanish magician arrived at City after spending a magnificent tenure with Valencia. In the contest against Blackpool, Silva had already assisted the galloping Carlos Tevez to earn applause from the stadium. But in the dying seconds of the game, Silva netted his first Premier League goal.

 

 

Dribbling the ball past one challenge and then another, Silva darted towards the Seasiders goal mouth before curling the ball past a rooted goalkeeper who just watched the stadium erupt in joy. A jaw-dropping 3-2 victory, Silva had sealed his name in Mancini’s eleven with a staggering outing for the Citizens.

 

THE RED DEVILS ARE SHOCKED

The world is aware of the rivalry between the two Manchester clubs. The Red Devils are studded with history while the blue outfit of Manchester has swung the pendulum in their favour in recent times.

But when the two outfits locked horns in Silva’s second season, Sir Alex Ferguson and company were acquainted with the Spaniard’s effect on a contest. And once again Silva turned up a notch in his game, swinging the game in City’s favour.

 

 

A set-piece routine executed to perfection, Silva timed his cross to perfection. The ball landed straight in Vincent Kompany’s path as the Belgian centre-back netted the ball into United’s net, shattering the Red Devils’ dreams as City steamed their way onto the English throne.

 

THE CLASS OF SILVA

Most supporters will remember this encounter as the one in which Sergio Aguero scored his first hat trick for Manchester City, as the club overcame Wigan 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium. Silva, on the other hand, set up the Argentine poacher’s third goal with one of the most unappreciated passes in the history of England’s top-flight football.

 

 

 

Silva was mobbed by three Wigan players when he took control around the halfway mark. Silva evaded the assault of two by flicking the ball up against his own leg before gliding past the desperate tackle of the third. He then expertly positioned the ball into Aguero’s direction, who finished the job.

 

PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE YEAR (2011)

Well, who can forget the 2011/12 title race? The Manchester clubs were fighting like two wrestlers throwing punches one after another. But in the end, the iconic Sergio Aguero goal sealed the deal for Mancini’s City. But Silva played an influential role in the last game of the season too.

 

 

QPR were leading the game until stoppage-time but David Silva’s mouth-watering assist slammed the hopes of the Manchester United fans glued to their phones watching Etihad’s scoreline. A nail-biting title race with their neighbour rivals, a Premier League title, the leading assist maker (15 assists), and a place in PFA’s Premier League Team Of The Year, the Spanish midfielder was living a fairytale at Manchester City.

 

FA CUP VICTORY 

This is a memory that no one will ever forget. Silva must have feared he wouldn’t be able to fabricate a second opportunity after squandering a wonderful goal-scoring opportunity in the ultimate FA Cup showdown of 2011, but the Spaniard settled the score 8 years later.

 

Silva captured the ball from Raheem Sterling and sent a left-footed volley past the goalie and into Watford’s net, setting in action an FA Cup Final thrashing of monumental proportions. On an illustrious occasion in his career, David Silva bagged another trophy for the Citizens and increased the pieces in his illustrious trophy cabinet.

 

FINAL GOAL AT THE ETIHAD

El Mago’s final goal at the Etihad came against Bournemouth when he scored just 6 minutes into the game. Manchester City earned themselves a free-kick and David Silva was given the set-piece responsibility. The Spaniard blasted the ball past the Cherries wall and into the net as the Citizens celebrated in joy.

 

 

A sumptuous free-kick by Silva went flying over the wall and smacked the bar before beating Aaron Ramsdale. He assisted City’s second-goal as Gabriel Jesus found himself in space owing to a threaded pass by El Mago. Dancing between the defenders, the Brazilian smacked home doubling the Citizens’ advantage.

 

THE GAME AGAINST HULL CITY

Hull City was the next destination on City’s quest for a second Premier League title. The Spanish magician engineered the victory despite City being shown a red card for the majority of the encounter.

 

 

City took the lead thanks to his powerful strike smacked way away from the goalmouth, and Silva’s picture-perfect ball to Edin Dzeko was dispatched by the huge Bosnian to seal a 2-0 triumph and capture three crucial points for Manchester City. Silva showed in the game against Hull why he is called a midfield magician. He scores goals while creating the perfect opportunities for his teammates, El Mago was the perfect asset for any outfit.

 

RED DEVILS HUMBLED

As historic enemies Manchester United were defeated 6-1 at their fortress, Silva was there dictating the pitch at Old Trafford. Throughout the contest, Silva was too hot for United. He had previously assisted twice out of the four goals that the Citizens had already scored. The Spaniard then registered his name on the scoresheet bringing up the fifth goal for Manchester City.

 

 

Edin Dzeko’s threaded pass was perfectly met by Silva who nutmegged De Gea to increase the scoreline for the away team. He put the last nail in United’s coffin with an inch-perfect assist to his Bosnian striker. Silva scooped the ball in the air and lobbed a pass into Dzeko’s direction acres away from goal as Dzeko magnificently finished off the night with City’s sixth goal.

 

MANCHESTER CITY PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2016/17

El Mago was voted Manchester City’s Player Of The Year in 2016/17, an accolade that he purely deserved. With 8 goals and 11 assists that summer, Silva leapt above the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero to bag the award. When Silva’s new colleague Bernando Silva joined hands with City he was all praises about Manchester City’s Player Of The Year.

 

 

The Portuguese stated: “He is one of the best players in the world. I look forward to learning from him and seeing what he can teach me. I look forward to playing with him.”To have this opportunity is fantastic. When I was a kid I was looking at him and some other players, now to be able to play with them is great.”

 

THE LAST OF SILVA’S MAGIC FOR CITY 

Silva’s City career may have been extended a few seasons ago due to a short-term contract signed during the Covid-19 break, but he stayed as smart as before. He scored twice in a 5-0 win over the Magpies at home, whipping in a beautiful set-piece and constructing goals for Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus.

 

 

Pep Guardiola, the coach, remarked of the 34-year-old, “I have never seen someone like him.” The instrumental Spaniard had enjoyed some illustrious moments throughout his playing career at the Etihad.

Shreyas Rai
Shreyas Rai

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