Sorted Magazine

Category: Sport

  • Sport: Drama doesn’t even come close to defining it! Notts County’s return to the EFL

    Sport: Drama doesn’t even come close to defining it! Notts County’s return to the EFL

    What has the epic conclusion to the 2022/23 Vanarama National League got to do with the legendary authors Dame Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle and Raymond Chandler? Stay with me for the full ninety minutes, plus added time, a wedge of extra time, and penalties, and I’ll reveal all.

    But first, I’d like to take a health check. Being a Notts County fan since I was a kid has had its fair share of stresses. Some may say that picking the black and white army over our noisy red neighbours across the River Trent (with arguably a slightly bigger trophy room) is where it all started. My decision was made, aged ten, when my dad took me to my first game, so cut me some slack! As if to edify this notion, in 2007 The Telegraph newspaper revealed that Notts were the most stressful team to support; and even though I have physically strayed from my city of birth, the emotional ties have remained strong. Being a season ticket holder facing a five hour, or more, return journey for each home game surely qualifies me as insane; I counter this claim by stating the obvious; this club is part of my roots. My heritage. My elations (at birth my two kids were enrolled as junior Magpies). My losses (I miss my dad). It’s part of my DNA, and this isn’t just an idle assertion.

    In 2020, research published by the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion at the University of Oxford, scientifically proved the synthesis of devoted fans with their football clubs. The field study took place during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where the saliva of a control group of fans was taken prior, during, and post match, including the home nation’s semi-final loss to Germany.

    Researcher Dr Martha Newson revealed: “Cortisol rocketed during live games for the fans who were highly fused to the team.” She also concluded: “Fans who are strongly fused with their team, that is, have a strong sense of being ‘one’ with their team, experience the greatest physiological stress response when watching a match.”

    This fifth tier title race was akin to a classic whodunnit. Twists and turns aplenty before FC Hollywood (aka Wrexham AFC co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney) deservedly took the crown with a title winning tally of 111 points, four ahead of Notts. By any previous established rules of engagement County, who scored 117 goals, led by the League’s all time record goal machine Macaulay Langstaff, would have been champions. Yet this wasn’t your standard storyline and the playoffs beckoned.

    These sudden death battles are great if your team has already secured promotion and you can watch from the comfort of your armchair, but when you are in them form often means nothing; it’s all down to passion, pride, fate, and fortune. Collectively, the named classic mystery writers couldn’t have penned anything more theatrical.

    The semi-final against Boreham Wood, from whom Notts had finished a clear thirty-five points ahead, arrived at Meadow Lane with nothing to lose. They were 2-0 up at halftime and no doubt, had he been there, horror writer Stephen King would have commenced his next book. But the English novelist William Shakespeare grabbed his quill and busily finished the script. An Aden Baldwin piledriver from distance on 47 minutes made us dream, and his last gasp equaliser made over fifteen thousand hearts beat that much faster. In the last minute of extra time the final line of this poetic pleasure was written, with the local hero known as Jodi Jones, as his screamer of a shot sent the Magpies to Wembley for the playoff final.

    My cortisol levels had reached celestial heights, but Notts still had the final to negotiate with perennial foes Chesterfield. Entering the historic arena dominated by its awesome arch, each fan knew of the ultimate consequence: one of the best or worst days. Blinding light or dramatic darkness. Joy or anguish. The playoffs never offer an in-between.

    Cue a stage show that defied the law of gravity. The Spireites took an early lead with an Andrew Dallas penalty and, as the second half ebbed ever closer to the end, up stepped John Bostock to drill home the equaliser on 87 minutes. Extra-time kept the ultimate cocktail of raw emotions alive.

    Chesterfield did it again. With an almost arrogant disregard of aching limbs Armando Dobra spectacularly carved out an utter masterclass in finishing from distance. Was this going to be another horror show? Not quite, as Rúben Rodrigues embodied the never-say-die mental fortitude of Notts remarkable team spirit, with an exceptional equaliser.

    Penalties it was, and all those not so latent doubts resurfaced as my stress response reached fever pitch. Having come on as a substitute late in the second half, Archie Mair had spectacularly saved two spot kicks, meanwhile I couldn’t even compute if we had another chance of victory, the astonishing miss by John Bostock had caused my internal fight or flight syndrome to simply subside. I was emotionally spent. A gaze at the scoreboard brought it home. A successful attempt by Cedwyn Scott would propel us back to the promised land, the English Football League, and we would reclaim our rightful title of the world’s oldest football league club. He did it and my cortisol careered like a Catherine wheel around my body, attaining levels I’d rarely reached before. There was only remedy; who cares if people saw me crying!

    As for our gallant opponents, spare a thought for those loyal fans who left well in advance of the on-field celebrations. Dr Newson made an ominous cortisol overture: “It was particularly high during games where their team lost.”

    Anyone who says it’s just a game simply doesn’t get it.

    Come on you Pies!

    Match highlights

    A cortisol commentary cam – a must watch!

    All photographs and text: © Ian Kirke 2023.

    @ianjkirke

  • The painted man: interview with Tai Woffinden

    Tai Woffinden is a speed king. In 2013 he won the Speedway Grand Prix series to become World Champion. He’s since won it twice more. But you’re more likely to notice the ear-stretchers, and the tattoos that cover 75% of his body.

    The philosophy of identity has been the subject of unceasing debate since the origin of humankind. If you are so minded, you can read the classical scholarly accounts, including the marathon poem ‘The Odyssey’, understood to have been penned by Homer around the eighth century BC, which, amongst other things, connects with the notion of self. Since I was a kid, and old enough to have deep and meaningful conversations with myself, the enigma of personality has been captivating. However, since adolescence one identifying feature has remained fairly consistent – the way I look.

    Our thin yet resilient skin – the largest human organ – and especially the wrapping around the contours of our faces, provides a pictorial element of our identity. How much of our true self is represented by our outward appearance is open to conjecture, but what if you decide to significantly change this shop window to the world? Does your overall identity change? Do people treat you differently? Do you migrate to a different you?

    The more I wrestled with these uncertainties two themes became dominant. First, my own decision to change the way I look. Having made this landmark choice, my confidence grew to another level, and I was cool with myself. Perhaps for the first time in my entire life my reflection was pleasing to me and – in my opinion at least – stepping away from the norm for a guy of my age. I like the new me! The second issue is perhaps more abstract but nonetheless connected to a purposeful decision to change how the world saw individuality.

    The link? Tai Woffinden – the three times individual speedway world champion. The 32-year-old athlete born in the UK, but having grown up in Perth, Western Australia after emigrating with his family, is the undisputed painted man of this adrenalized motor sport – where 500cc motorcycles accelerate faster than a Formula 1 car, with the added risk of having no brakes. His decision to illustrate his body and parts of his face is a line of enquiry I needed to follow in my quest to better understand the human construct of identity.

    Madonna once said, “I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.”  How closely does this resonate with you?

    “It not only resonates with me, but with every person. Although there are millions of people all over the world, we are each unique in our own special ways. I can see where Madonna is coming from, and I agree with her.” 

    Tai was right – identity is never ordinary and should never be ordained by others. Madonna’s take added a vital new dimension to self. When looking at my reflection in the mirror I was actually admiring a piece of art – and the rest of the world can marvel at it for free! 

    When did your body art start and what was the trigger?

    “I just wanted tattoos when I was young. Mum and dad weren’t that happy; dad only had a standard one on his forearm. When I was fifteen and racing my dad challenged me to beat a couple of older guys, not expecting me to do so. I beat them both – so a deal’s a deal and I got a tattoo!” 

    American writer, Jack London, proclaimed, “Show me a man with a tattoo and I’ll show you a man with an interesting past.” What’s your story?

    “I grew up in Western Australia and rode motorbikes. I came out to Europe to become a professional, but I was kind of playing at it for the first few years – coming home and going out on big benders with all my mates and letting my hair down for three months every summer back in Australia. This was good fun and I absolutely loved it!” Tai then paused as he reflected upon the moment it all changed. “My dad passed away in 2010. That was like a switch – from a teenager to becoming a man overnight. I got my head down and focused on my career.”

    Tai’s effervescence quickly returned as he casually added that he then won a few world titles. This, an understatement of epic proportions when his individual and team titles across many countries are tallied up.

    “There is not really much left for me to do other than win more world championships.” A driving ambition that won’t please his rivals. 

    The people I know who have tattoos have mostly chosen to be discreet; most can be covered with clothing. You have prominent ones on your face and hands too. Why did you make this choice?

    “I just wanted to be different. I saw a great quote once that went something like this: ‘What are you going to do with all those tattoos when you are older?’ and I think the response was something along the lines of, ‘What are you going to do when you get older – look like everyone else?’ I thought that this was quite insightful when I read it.

    “I had my sleeves done and my mum said, ‘please don’t get your hands done.’ I said I wouldn’t, and she replied, ‘you had better not!’ If she hadn’t said that last bit, I probably wouldn’t have got them done.” 

    Over the years mum has become far more accepting; nonetheless, his face is still wholly out of bounds. “It just progressed then to my neck as I had run out of space on my chest, and then a little bit on the side of my face.”

    Although Tai has considered more on his head, he heeds the wishes of partner Faye. “If she gave me the green light, I’d have more on my face, but I will respect her decision since she has to look at me every day.”

    How have others reacted to your look?

    “It depends on which country you are talking about. US, Australia, UK, and Western Europe – not really a problem. Further east – for example Poland, Russia, and Ukraine – older people do tend to stare and look down at me.” 

    How do you feel about your look?

    “It’s just me now. I’ve seen photographs of me when I was younger without tattoos and I think ‘oh my God, I look so weird!’ I love my look. I’m very happy with it.

    “Like a lot of people with tattoos, if I could, I would start again. I’ve got some really amazing ideas – the most insane body art! But I’ve kind of done it from 15, then added and added. Sometimes the guy will come to my house and tattoo me, and I’ll flick through the pictures and think, that looks sick – where can we put it? Then boom, it’s done! Some have meanings, but some are just filling in the gaps.”

    Identity, image, and profession are intrinsically intertwined. You risk your life for the entertainment of others – how important is danger in your life? 

    “Danger is really important in my life but not only from the aspect of my job. Danger gives you that adrenalin – and I’m an adrenalin junkie. I ride a motorbike for a living for a start, although I don’t actually get that much of a buzz anymore. It’s something I’ve done over and over and over again for so many years and that buzz does die off a bit. I’m searching in other places.

    “I raced a sprint car in Australia. It’s an absolute weapon of a thing. Once I had done a backflip on a BMX, I did it on a motocross bike. I’m trying to organise a double backflip too.”

    Tai then reeled off details of his other daredevil pursuit – skydiving – acknowledging that once he had finished jumping out of aeroplanes, he would start jumping off cliffs. “The more danger, the more adrenalin, the more buzz, and the more excitement. I’m forever chasing that vibe. Where do you stop?”

    No brakes and no gears, surely you have to be crazy to ride speedway?

    “No! You could say that about many other sports. For many people looking in on what I do on my YouTube channel, they may think that it is crazy, but riding a speedway bike to me is like you walking down the road. When you walk down a path, 99.9% of the time you do so without tripping up. That’s the same for me on a speedway bike because I’ve done it for so long. I began when I was 12 and started riding speedway in 2002. It’s become second nature.”

    We share the same significant loss – that of our dads. My dad was my hero, and he first took me to speedway where I saw your dad, Rob, ride. Would you please tell me about the influence your dad had on your life? 

    “My dad was more my best mate than my dad. Obviously, there were times when he had to be the father figure and discipline me for being a little out of control; but the majority of the time he was my best mate. We travelled together around Europe in the early years, taking in different countries – Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Croatia, Slovenia, Germany – virtually everywhere.

    “Then his life was cut short, and he didn’t get to see me achieve the greater things that I have accomplished in my career. But I’m sure he’s watching down from above.”

    In his compelling autobiography – Raw Speed – Tai wrote this powerfully poignant tribute: “For Dad, my best friend, my teacher, my travelling companion, my father. Everything I have achieved came from what he taught me about life and how to live it.” 

    You display a powerful sense of self. What is your message to those who have yet to discover themselves?

    “My message to anyone is live every day, don’t waste any opportunities and take a moment out of your hectic day just to sit there and appreciate what you do have, and not what you want.”

    Meeting Tai in person for the first time at the 2022 FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain was an opportunity I didn’t intend to waste, and the premium risk-taker took my understanding of identity to a new level. Often what lies beneath is obscured by what someone looks like, and our own latent prejudices. But Tai the sage stands proud in an often-confusing landscape of self-doubt, and his personal insights perfectly compliment the words of writer Theodor Seuss Geisel who, under his pen name of Dr Seuss, concluded, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” 

    © Ian Kirke

    Photographs kindly reproduced by kind permission of Mateusz Wójcik / Monster Energy

  • Sport: Learn football lingo from around the world!

    Sport: Learn football lingo from around the world!

    Common football phrases have been translated into different languages for fans who are looking to expand their vocabulary while following football this winter. The most popular expressions used to describe the ‘beautiful game’ have been translated by an award winning team of linguists at Busuu, offering English football fans international lingo to shout at the TV during matches.

    To get a better grasp at the competing nations’ culture and do a bit of language learning, fans are encouraged to familiarise themselves with international football talk. English fans can put their language skills to the test by learning how to say common phrases like “Foul!”, “They’ve bottled it!” and “Back of the net!” in Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic and French.

    A spokesperson for Busuu said: “Watching sports in a different language allows you to combine a pastime you love with a more challenging activity, making it an enjoyable and effective approach to learning a new language. We encourage football fans to switch the match commentary to a language they’re trying to pick up, because this way their brain won’t associate learning with hard work, but instead they’ll absorb the expressions and jargon subconsciously.

    “Even if acquiring a new language is not your goal, then learning to ‘speak football’ in a foreign language can be useful when you want to chat with international footie fans and impress your friends with foreign expressions while watching matches on the TV. There’s no doubt that it would make the entire room chuckle if instead of “Man on!” you shouted “Achtund, Hintermann!” at the TV.”

    Here’s Busuu’s list of popular football lingo in different languages:

    EnglishGermanItalianArabicArabic phoneticSpanishFrench
    Goal!Tor!Gol!هدف!Hadaf!¡Gol!But !
    Red card!Rote Karte!Cartellino rossoبطاقة حمراء!Bitaqa hamra’a!¡Roja!Carton rouge !
    Offside!Abseits!Fuorigioco!تسلل!Tasalol!¡Fuera de juego!Hors jeu !
    Referee!Schiri!Arbitro!حكم!Hakam!¡Árbitro!Arbitre !
    They’ve bottled it!Sie haben die Führung verspielt!Si sono messi paura!لقد ضيعوا الفرصة في اللحظة الأخيرة!Laqad dya’oo alforsa fi allahtha alakheera!¡Han perdido el liderazgo!Ils ont perdu l’avantage !
    Man on!Achtung, Hintermann!Marcatura!احمِ الكرة!Ehmi alkorah!¡Detrás de ti!Tu es marqué !
    Back of the net!Volltreffer!In fondo alla rete!هدف رائع!Hadaf rae’a!¡Al fondo de la red!Droit au but !
    Come on!Jetzt aber!Forza!هيا!Haya!¡Vamos!Allez !
    Foul!Foul!Fallo!مخالفة!Mokhalafah!¡Falta!Faute !
  • Sport: Football’s coming home

    Sport: Football’s coming home

    David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and The Lightning Seedshave recorded a new version of their iconic football anthem ‘Three Lions (It’s Coming Home for Christmas)’. They were so inspired when England Women won the Euros this summer that they re-recorded the track with new lyrics and an audio clip of the Lionesses triumphant press conference rendition of the song. David Baddiel said: “At last it’s between me and Mariah Carey for who really is the voice of Christmas. We just had to do it. Christmas World Cup songs are not like buses. If we’d let this opportunity pull away, it would have been a very long wait for the next one.”

    Frank Skinner added. “ ‘Three Lions on a sleigh, with She-Lion’s Inspiration, Santa says let’s play, the Christmas tree formation’ is just one new verse destined to get the country up on their feet and singing for 90 minutes.” In the feel good video, Sir Geoff Hurst swaps his England kit for a Santa Suit; Lioness heroes Jess Carter and Beth England recreate their celebratory dance; while David, Frank and the Lightning Seeds decorate the tree as kids join in the festivities. Watch the video HERE.

    ‘Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home)’ is the only song to have ever become UK number one on four separate occasions with the same artists: twice in 1996 when it was originally released, for three straight weeks in 1998 and again in 2018 when it made chart history by moving up from number 24 to number one in one week! During the 2020 Euros, the song spent four weeks in the top ten and on the final day of that tournament had over three million Spotify streams.

    Three Lions (It’s Coming Home For Christmas) is available from Sony Music in the following formats all of which fit snuggly under the Christmas tree:

    7” Limited edition signed white vinyl
    White Cassette
    7” white vinyl
    CD single
    And from all download and streaming services.

    Available to stream/purchase     HERE

  • Sport: Who has the most valuable World Cup squad?

    Sport: Who has the most valuable World Cup squad?

    Brazil might be the bookie’s favourites to win the World Cup but based on squad value, England will be bringing football home for the first time since 1966. Experts at marketing firm Motive have published an online World Cup Team Value Index which highlights and compares the value of each of the 32 squads competing in Qatar. Researchers looked at every squad’s market value on Transfermarkt and calculated how the tournament would pan out based on squad values alone.

    England’s squad is worth an eye-watering £1102.9m making them the only team competing for the trophy to have a value of more than one billion pounds. Brazil are tipped to be runners up with a squad value of £995.2m, while Portugal, with a value of £807.9m are forecast to take third place by overcoming Argentina, valued at £620.8m.

    Despite having a squad value of £933.1m, France have been tipped to go no further than the quarterfinals where they are predicted to lose to the eventual champions, England. Researchers also ranked the teams taking part in the tournament based on squad value and compared that value with the official FIFA rankings. At the bottom end of the table are Costa Rica with a squad valued at just £16.1m and hosts Qatar, whose entire squad could be bought for £16.2m.

    The England players are worth more than the entire squads of 12 nations taking part in the tournament – Canada, Wales, South Korea, Ecuador, Cameroon, Japan, Iran, Tunisia, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Costa Rica. The teams from those 12 nations have a collective value of £1043.6m, that’s £59.3m less than the England squad.

    Steve McComish from researchers Motive said: “If success on the football pitch were based solely on the value of the players taking part then we would see Harry Kane lifting the World Cup for England on December 18th after England defeated Brazil in the final. Looking at our World Cup Team Value Index every England fan can dream of Qatar glory and picture a triumphant team parading the trophy through Trafalgar Square in the days before Christmas. What an incredible start to the Christmas season that would be, to see England win their first major trophy since 1966.

    “But sadly success on the pitch doesn’t always correlate to the value of the players involved and, as every England fan already knows all too well, dreams can quickly turn into nightmares. Even with the most expensive squad in the history of world football only the most dedicated England fan would feel entirely confident of Qatar glory.”

    To read more about the World Cup Team Value Index and to look up the value of every squad competing in Qatar, please visit: www.motivepr.co.uk/blog/world-cup-team-value-index

  • Eyes on the prize

    Eyes on the prize

    Chelsea’s Thiago Silva has been guided through a glittering sporting career by the greatest coach he has ever worked with – God, as he tells Matt Lee.

    The life of a footballer is determined and directed by so many things, including loyalty, family, traditions and heritage. There are also the recommendations of agents and advisors, and let’s not pretend money isn’t one of the main determining factors in the decision-making process. 

    Yet when mercurial Brazilian defender Thiago Silva signed for Chelsea in 2020, the then 35-year-old pointed to divine intervention, no less, as a major factor in his move to west London.

    The veteran centre-back had just brought to a close a hugely successful spell at Paris Saint-Germain, but the French champions were looking to bring the average age of their squad down, so the Brazil international, who has over 100 caps for his country, was deemed surplus to requirements. This was despite Silva having just played one of his most complete and flawless domestic campaigns, one that saw ‘Les Rouge-et-Bleu’ claim a seventh French crown in eight years.

    “Projects come to an end in football and, when you have played the game for a long time, you come to realise that is just how it goes,” Silva begins.

    “Every year in sport is very different from the last. In almost no time at all you can have a team that goes from the greatest to a much lower level; and by the same process, in under 12 months, the opposite.

    “It is for this reason that I have become very philosophical about football, and my faith has certainly been there with me to help me find a path through some of the disappointments and challenges.”

    Crucially, Silva had promised he would complete his PSG project, and that meant, in a Covid-extended campaign, the club didn’t play their Champions League final against Bayern Munich until late August. He subsequently signed for Chelsea just a fortnight before the new season began.

    “I took time to make the decision,” he offers. “It was vital for perhaps my last contract in football that I found a new club that, in the same way as did Paris, really spoke to me as being good for me and my family. 

    “My faith in Chelsea was so strong, and God steered me to a place in which now I am very happy.”

    Thiago Silva’s contentment is in direct correlation to his success on the pitch. He joined the Blues during a period of rapid change at the club; they had only recently emerged from a transfer embargo, and had been forced to rush a number of youth-team graduates through into first-team action during the previous season.

    Under his leadership on the pitch, and with the help of other senior pros at the club, including fellow defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso, Silva oversaw the emergence of  players such as Reece James, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori – who has since departed for Silva’s former employer AC Milan – Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

    “I think we had a number of players who got the opportunity to make something of themselves much earlier than would normally have been expected, and that turned out to be a really good thing,” he says. “Their development was accelerated forward and that only served to build the project higher and stronger than we imagined.

    “It goes to show – sometimes adversity in football, and in life, is a very good thing.”

    But where does Silva’s dedication to God come in? Simply, the Rio-born defensive lynchpin professes that while he is in control of who he is and what he does on the pitch, he will always be guided by his faith.

    “I believe God sets me challenges and asks me to do my best to fulfil them,” he says. “That is my duty and my obligation to him, and it is a role I take seriously.

    “When I joined Chelsea, I obviously turned away offers from elsewhere – some would have made playing very easy, others would have earned me more money, or taken me and my family to live in absolute comfort; but very quickly I knew that God wanted me to come here to do something special… to help the next generation of players, and to serve a club that needed help.”

    Silva firmly believes in the power of action, too – both mental and physical. “God has always put me on a path, but the impetus to walk down it has to come from within.

    “I always feel as though he is watching me, expecting me to stand up and take those steps, and it is my duty and privilege to do that.

     “I don’t think anyone can expect something to happen unless they truly put the effort in to make change, and that’s why people from very humble and limited backgrounds, such as myself and so many others who have emerged from the streets of Brazil, can achieve important things, and inspire others to do the same. This, to me, is God’s influence.”

    Silva, who is a Christian, admits he has had to adapt to the UK football schedule, not least during the festive calendar. When playing at PSG, and previously at AC Milan, where he starred for three years from 2012, players were given Christmas off to spend time with their families.

    In the Premier League, however, the festive football schedule is one of English football’s finest traditions, so being apart from loved ones was something the defender had to get used to. “Again, I feel it was God asking me to sacrifice something of myself for other people, and I was happy to do that.

    “Time with my family is incredibly precious to me, and to them, but experiencing English football at Christmas and sampling that incredible atmosphere that comes at that time of the year, was something I found very special, and the joy I could see on fans’ faces was unique. It all made sense to me.”

    Thiago Silva’s journey through football started in the Campo Grande district, located on the western side of Rio de Janeiro. The shantytown environment wasn’t conducive to sporting prowess, a drawback compounded by the fact he had no immediate father figure in his life after his parents separated. Instead, he grew up with his mother, two brothers – and a God-fearing stepfather.

    A promising young footballer who had been spotted by Fluminense at the age of 14 when playing in midfield, his early development was stunted, and he trialled for various other local sides, eventually being picked up by hometown side Barcelona Esporte Clube, a small Rio-based outfit from the lower divisions of Brazilian football.

    His career suddenly took off in 2001 when he earned his first professional contract, with RS Futebol (now Pedrabranca) and within a year had been spotted by Roma coach Bruno Conte. Despite pleas to travel to Italy, Silva signed for Brazilian club Juventude, where he was converted into a powerful, skilful centre-back.

    A move to Porto followed, and then he joined Dynamo Moscow on loan. However, Silva was struck down with tuberculosis in Russia and was hospitalised for six months. “The pain and the length of time I suffered took away so much from me,” he says. Doctors had to be on hand several times a day to administer injections and tablets that would eventually lead him to a place of recovery.

    “In many periods it felt like I was never going to get better, and at many points they were worried I may deteriorate and, ultimately, die,” he reveals.

    “I have never felt closer to God than in those moments, nor further away from myself. It was a very strange thing to go through – it was terrifying and sad, but as I gradually managed to pull myself away from the darkness, I felt confidence and courage like never before, and many times in the years since I have tapped into that spirit as a way of helping me use God and faith to overcome challenges.

    “Sometimes adversity in football, and in life, is a very good thing”

    “I will not say that contracting tuberculosis created the person I am today, but it is certainly true that I would have been a different person had it not happened, and I do think a lot of my strength has come from proving to myself that I could overcome what happened.”

    During his treatment, Silva frequently expressed a desire to quit football, though he credits God and his mother for convincing him to pursue with a career that still offered so much potential, despite the long-term implications of the illness.

    As it transpired, Fluminense offered the defender a contract when he returned to full fitness in 2006, and after three hugely successful years at the Maracanã – during which time he broke into the Brazil national squad – Silva secured a £8million move to AC Milan. Once there, he excelled, guiding the club to the Serie A and Italian Super Cup titles. And when the time came to join PSG, a £40million fee made him the most expensive defender ever to play the game.

    The centre-back’s slew of awards and trophies since is like something out of Roy of the Rovers. After seven league titles with PSG and 18 other domestic cup triumphs in France, his switch to Chelsea was noted by some as the actions of a player winding down his career. After all, he was less than a month away from his 36th birthday when he put pen to contract.

    Yet at Stamford Bridge he claimed the one trophy that had eluded him for 19 years as a professional footballer – the Champions League title – as the Blues saw off Manchester City 1-0 in the 2021 final at the Estádio do Dragão stadium in Porto.

    “To win the Champions League, after so many years of trying with Milan and PSG, was so special. I feel it was something given me by God as a gift for everything I had tried to do.

    “I know I worked so hard for what I earned, though I still believe none of it would have been possible without my faith.”

    Silva followed up that success with the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, as Chelsea ascended to their highest ebb.

    At the start of 2022, Silva extended his playing contract with the west London club, which means the upcoming season – one that features the unique interruption of a winter World Cup in Dubai – will again see the Brazilian legend battle for his first domestic trophy in England.

    His Chelsea side came close last season, losing FA Cup and League Cup finals to Liverpool, both times on penalties, but there is one title Silva wants more than any other.

    “Mostly I pray for happiness and security for myself, my friends and my family; but sometimes when thoughts creep in about football, it is the Premier League title that is the thing that I would like to bring home,” he smiles.

    “I know I have been so lucky in my life and in the things I have achieved, but perhaps there is room for one more thing!”

    “I know I worked so hard for what I earned, though I still believe none of it would have been possible without my faith.”

    Whether he succeeds in that aim – and Chelsea will almost certainly have to see off the challenges of Manchester City and Liverpool to achieve that – the defender’s legacy in the sport will always be about so much more than just silverware.

    A champion who has recovered from so much adversity; an advocate of God; an exemplar for the next generation of players and those who want to give back as they have received… football has its critics, but it is a better place for Thiago Silva’s presence. 

  • Merson on a mission

    Full disclosure: I’m not into football – but I accept that ‘the beautiful game’ is a burning passion for many of my friends.

    It’s clear to me, apart from the sheer entertainment value, allegiance to a team gives them a sense of belonging, an outlet for emotions, and an exciting highlight. I am, however, into walking. So it was with great interest that I settled in front of the telly the other evening to watch A walk through my life with ex-England and Arsenal footballer, Paul Merson.

    Merson enjoyed an illustrious football career, and now finds himself a resident pundit on Sky Sport’s popular Saturday afternoon show. Capped 21 times by his country – and a member of the squad that contested the 1992 UEFA European Championship and 1998 FIFA World Cup – he has openly and honestly talked about his mental health struggles and addiction issues.

    PARTY ANIMALS: As players, Merson (left) and Paul Gascoigne lived life to the full.

    The programme (which can be viewed by clicking here) is an extended version of the original BBC Four series Winter Walks where a well-known personality meanders for five or six miles through beautiful landscape alone while carrying a 360° camera on a selfie-stick.

    Unscripted dialogue, straight to the camera, gives a surprising sense of closeness as if you are walking alongside the narrator. The simplicity of the format is pure genius. Close-up scenes are punctuated by stunning drone footage. Production values are off the chart. It’s worth watching on the biggest telly you can find!

    Merson, a Londoner who still lives in the capital, says he has never walked alone through the open countryside before. This appears to be his first real encounter with nature on a grand scale. Perhaps that’s why, as a grown man of 54, he experiences it with the intense awe and wonder of a child. He becomes freshly awake and aware. The silence, the solitude, and the sense of space seem to wash over him like a refreshing balm. As he walks alone, and “sits with his feelings” away from the “hustle and bustle”, revelations about his life unexpectedly bubble to the surface and spill out.

    UNFULFILLED POTENTIAL: Merson and England didn’t quite live up to expectations at the World Cup.

    Deeper thinking generates surprising new thoughts about his family relationships, his career as a footballer, and his 30-year battle with addictions.

    Alone in “the middle of nowhere” he pauses to process some of these, often harrowing, realisations. There are touching moments of deep gratitude, alongside crushing regrets at having not expressed this adequately to the people he loves most in all the world. His narration is raw, succinct and bold. He pauses to pray for a few moments in a church. It is a heartfelt cry directed toward God.

    The day’s walk ends with long views over Yorkshire God’s own country – as it’s known to those who come from the White Rose county.

    ADDICTION AFFLICTION: Merson has revealed he was an alcoholic while playing for Arsenal.

    From a well-placed bench, Merson enjoys a well-earned rest. There have been both physical and emotional efforts throughout his journey. He reflects on the experience with astonishing openness. I’m no theologian, but to me, the whole of Merson’s informal narration has a richly honest prayer-like quality. He’s speaking his own personal truths out loud, bringing them into the light as it were. In so doing, he begins accepting how things have been, how things currently are, then declaring and avowing his clear intentions to be a better man. That old-fashioned churchy-word ‘confession’ gets a bad press but this troubled soul found peace through the simple act of prayer and pacing ancient pathways.

    Val Fraser is a Sorted columnist and a freelance journalist based in northwest England