On December 20, Porto officially announced that 41-year-old defender Thiago Silva has returned to the club as a free agent.
Official announcement
Brazilian legendary center-back Thiago Silva has officially joined FC Porto. The veteran returns to the "Invincible City" where he once played after nearly two years with Fluminense.
This return marks Silva's return to the team he played for nineteen years ago. In the 2004/05 season, he played for Porto B, and his return to the first team completes a perfect cycle in his career – he will now strive for the first-team glory he couldn't achieve back then.
Thiago Silva's name needs little introduction. The 41-year-old boasts a illustrious career, having played for European giants such as AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea.
At each team, he made over 100 appearances, consistently a pillar of the defense, and won numerous trophies with his clubs.
Throughout his career, Silva has amassed 31 trophies: one Champions League title (won at the Estádio do Dragão!), one Club World Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, seven Ligue 1 titles, one Serie A title, one Brazilian Cup, five Coupe de France titles, six Coupe de la Ligue titles, five Coupe de France Super Cups, and one Italian Super Cup. At the national team level, he helped Brazil win the Copa America and the Confederations Cup.
Furthermore, Silva served as captain of the Brazilian national team for many years, making 113 international appearances for the "Five-Time Champions Brazil."
He has been selected to the FIFA World XI three times (2013, 2014, 2015), won the 2021 Club World Cup Best Player award, and recently, based on his outstanding performance for Fluminense, he was shortlisted for the FIFA Best Defender award – playing 46 matches for the team last season and maintaining his excellent form.
It's worth noting that since 2006, Silva has made at least 34 appearances every season, reaching a career peak in 2024 with a total of 58 appearances for Chelsea and Fluminense.
Silva joined Porto as a free agent on a free transfer, signing a contract until the end of this season with an option to extend for another season. This transfer also did not involve any intermediary commissions.