Pep Guardiola has revealed Bernardo Silva’s reliability and commitment to the club made it an easy decision to name him the new Manchester City captain this summer.
Kyle Walker’s January exit saw the armband handed to Kevin De Bruyne, who sealed his own departure from the club this summer. Previously, Guardiola has allowed his players to select their own captain, but he made the decision to pull rank and appoint Silva on his own, with Rúben Dias, Rodri and Erling Haaland also named in the new leadership group.
Asked to explain his decision during an appearance on Sky Sports’ One on One podcast, Guardiola insisted Silva made it easy for him.
“I chose him for one reason,” Guardiola began. “In the last season, when we were in big, big trouble, always he was there.
“Always he was there, training everyday, exhausted. We had just 13, 14 players plus the academy in one moment and every three days we’d lose a game—and always he was there. He’s the player in my period here who has played the most minutes, so he has always been available. For his generosity when he doesn’t play, always a big smile, always trying to help.
“He played at left back, right back, winger, holding midfielder. It doesn’t matter which position, always thinking what is best for the team. With all his attributes, I said he will be a good captain. And he’s been a really, really good captain.”
Indeed, no player has ever made more appearances under Guardiola than Silva, who took his tally up to 408 games in his first Premier League outing with the armband this weekend. However, goalkeeper Ederson leads the way when it comes to minutes—33,259 compared to 29,138.
The Brazilian shot-stopper has been heavily linked with an exit from City this summer, potentially opening the door for Silva to claim top spot before his contract expires in 2026.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘One Reason’—Pep Guardiola Explains Decision to Hand Man City Captaincy to Bernardo Silva.
