Thiago Silva is the brand new owner of one of Chelsea’s all-time records following his goal in the club’s 4-4 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Brazilian centre-back cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opening goal in the first half, with the lead swinging back and forth until Cole Palmer scored a 94th minute penalty against his former club to ensure that the points would be shared at the end of a pulsating contest.
Silva joined Chelsea in 2020 shortly before turning 36 but has clocked up more than 120 appearances in just over three years at Stamford Bridge since.
His age is why Sunday’s goal against Manchester City was so significant. At 39 years, one month and 21 days, Silva is now the oldest player ever to score for Chelsea. It broke a record that had stood for 76 years, dating back to 1947 when former England international Dick Spence found the net aged 38.
Spence was at Chelsea for 15 years all told, but his career, like every player of his generation, was put on hold for seven years from to the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 until regular league football resumed 15 months after the 1945 ceasefire.
Silva already held the record as Chelsea’s oldest goalscorer in the Premier League era. The previous record was set by Stamford Bridge legend Didier Drogba from 2015 aged 37 and 49 days. Silva surpassed that by finding the net against Tottenham Hotspur in January 2022, which also happened to be his last Chelsea goal until the City game this past weekend.
Silva is now fourth on the Premier League’s all-time list of oldest goalscorers too, with only Teddy Sheringham, Dean Windass and Ryan Giggs netting at a greater age. He could go ahead of Giggs and Windass this season, but to beat Sheringham’s record would take an astonishing feat of longevity.
