Mauro Silva

For the Brazilian football forward, see Mauro Silva (footballer, born 1978).

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is da Silva and the second or paternal family name is Gomes.

Mauro da Silva Gomes (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈmawɾu ˈsiwvɐ]; born 12 January 1968), known as Mauro Silva, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Mauro Silva

Silva in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Mauro da Silva Gomes
Date of birth	(1968-01-12) 12 January 1968 (age 57)
Place of birth	São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1987–1989	Guarani	1	(0)
1990–1992	Bragantino	61	(0)
1992–2005	Deportivo La Coruña	369	(1)
Total		431	(1)
International career
1991–2001	Brazil	59	(0)
Medal record Men's Football Representing  Brazil FIFA World Cup Winner 1994 Copa América Winner 1997 Bolivia Runner-up 1991 Chile CONCACAF Gold Cup 1998 USA
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

A hard-working player with great stamina, as well as tackling and leadership skills, he was best known for his spell with Deportivo. He amassed competitive totals of 458 games and one goal over 13 La Liga seasons, winning six major titles.^[1][2]

Silva represented Brazil at the 1994 World Cup and two Copa América tournaments, winning the former tournament.

Club career

Silva was born in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo. After starting playing with Guarani he moved to Bragantino in 1990, where he spent the following two seasons. Subsequently, he was acquired up by Spain's Deportivo de La Coruña, for 250 million pesetas (approximately €1.6 million), arriving at the same time as countryman Bebeto.

Silva was an everpresent fixture with the Galicians, only suspensions and injuries preventing him from being cast into the starting XI – in the 1994–95 campaign he only appeared in six La Liga matches^[3] and, already 36, was limited to 20 in his final year – as he helped them to one league, two cups and three supercups, adding to this the team's five participations in the UEFA Champions League, reaching the semi-finals in 2003–04: after a 0–0 away draw against FC Porto he missed the second leg due to suspension, and Depor lost 1–0.^[4][5]

On 22 May 2005, after 13 years with Deportivo, Silva was replaced by longtime understudy Aldo Duscher during a 3–0 home loss against RCD Mallorca, bidding farewell to the Estadio Riazor and football in the same match as another club legend, Fran.^[6]

In December 2016, as Deportivo celebrated its 110th anniversary, Silva was chosen by club fans as the best player in its history.^[2][7]

International career

With Brazil, Silva collected 59 caps over ten years, making his debut in 1991. He played in every match and minute (except for the second half of the group stage match against Sweden) in his nation's victorious campaign at the 1994 FIFA World Cup;^[8] in the same year, he was named by FIFA as the ninth best player in the world.^[9] According to the organisation, the lack of attacking play in the final of the tournament against Italy was in part down to strong holding midfield play by Dino Baggio for Italy, and Dunga and Mauro Silva for Brazil; following a 0–0 draw after extra-time, Brazil won the match in a penalty shoot-out.^[10]

Style of play

A consistent and hard-working holding midfielder, with excellent stamina, tackling, leadership qualities, and a capacity to read the game well, Mauro Silva was known in particular for his ability to win back possession and distribute the ball accurately to his teammates, rather than for his flair and creativity. He helped to provide balance for his more offensive-minded teammates, forming a strong defensive midfield partnership with Dunga for Brazil during their victorious 1994 World Cup campaign.^{[1][10][11][12][13]}

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[14]

Club	Season	League
		Division	Apps	Goals
Guarani	1987	Série A	0	0
	1988		1	0
	1989		0	0
	Total		1	0
Bragantino	1990	Série A	18	0
	1991		21	0
	1992		22	0
	Total		61	0
Deportivo	1992–93	La Liga	37	0
	1993–94		35	1
	1994–95		6	0
	1995–96		22	0
	1996–97		32	0
	1997–98		31	0
	1998–99		36	0
	1999–2000		33	0
	2000–01		31	0
	2001–02		27	0
	2002–03		32	0
	2003–04		27	0
	2004–05		20	0
	Total		369	1
Career total			431	1

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Brazil	1991	13	0
	1992	7	0
	1993	11	0
	1994	11	0
	1995	1	0
	1996	1	0
	1997	10	0
	1998	4	0
	1999	0	0
	2000	0	0
	2001	1	0
Total		59	0

Honours

Bragantino

• Campeonato Paulista: 1990

Deportivo

• La Liga: 1999–2000
• Copa del Rey: 1994–95, 2001–02
• Supercopa de España: 1995, 2000, 2002

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup: 1994
• Copa América: 1997; runner-up 1991
• CONCACAF Gold Cup: third place 1998

Individual

• Bola de Ouro: 1991
• Bola de Prata: 1991, 1992
• La Liga Team of The Year: 1993^[15]