After several days of speculation, Thiago Silva left Fluminense and finalized his move to Porto to take on the decisive stretch of the 2025–26 season. The 2026 FIFA World Cup appears to be a crucial objective for the defender, who could reach a historic milestone with the Brazil national team.
“An infinite desire to write a new story with us. Thiago Silva is once again a Dragon,” read the post on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Porto shared on Saturday to announce the defender’s return to the club after 21 years. His previous stint came during the 2004–05 season, when he made 14 appearances for the reserve team.
At 41, Silva’s career appeared destined to end with Fluminense, the Brazilian club he rejoined in 2024. There, he delivered strong performances, scoring five goals in 66 appearances across two seasons. However, the defender chose to abruptly end that chapter in order to pursue a return to Europe.
After speculation that included a potential return to AC Milan, the Brazilian star opted for the Portuguese giants to take on this new stage of his career, where he faces the challenge not only of competing at the club level but also of earning a historic return to the national team.
The World Cup remains a dream for Thiago Silva
Just a few weeks ago, Thiago Silva gave an interview to France Football in which he hinted at his desire to return to the Brazil national team. “Can you imagine finishing with a World Cup title?” he said, making it clear that such an achievement would be the ideal ending to his career.
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“Ancelotti knows he can count on me. I’m at his disposal,” the defender added in a direct message to the Italian head coach, who has been in charge of Brazil since mid-year with an eye on the 2026 World Cup.
Thiago Silva has extensive experience with the national team. He ranks fifth all-time in appearances with 113 caps, trailing only Cafu (143), Neymar (128), Roberto Carlos (127), and Dani Alves (126). He has also appeared in four World Cups between 2010 and 2022.
The Brazil World Cup record Thiago Silva could break
If his performances with Porto prove convincing and he manages to earn Carlo Ancelotti’s trust ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Thiago Silva would achieve a historic milestone: becoming the oldest player ever to represent Brazil at the FIFA tournament.
Silva turned 41 in September, placing him ahead of the current record holder, Dani Alves, who played at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at age 39. Second on that list is, fittingly, Thiago Silva himself, who featured in the same tournament at 38. Prior to that, the record belonged to Djalma Santos, who played at the 1966 World Cup in England at age 37.
