Thiago Silva Leads Fluminense Against Ulsan in Club World Cup

NEWARK, New Jersey — Thiago Silva, the 40-year-old defender, has been a standout player for Fluminense in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The team is set to face Ulsan Hyundai from South Korea on Saturday, June 21.

Silva returned to Fluminense in May 2024 and is under contract until June 2026. It remains unclear if he plans to retire after this period or seek an extension. Since rejoining the club, Silva has played 37 matches and scored two goals, establishing himself as a key defensive pillar for a team contending in the Brazilian Championship, Copa do Brasil, and Copa Sudamericana.

In a recent match against Borussia Dortmund, Silva praised his team’s performance despite the 0-0 draw. He acknowledged the challenges posed by a strong opponent like Dortmund, recalling his past encounters with them in Europe. Silva faced Dortmund twice during his career, suffering defeats both times. With Paris Saint-Germain, he eliminated Dortmund in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League, and again with Chelsea in the 2022-23 tournament.

The experienced defender shared his thoughts after the match, stating, “It was good; we had more control of the game than they did. In a match like this, we need to be more concrete, but we must be happy with our performance. Facing a qualified team like Dortmund is never easy.” Silva emphasized that despite facing a challenging schedule, his team is focused and confident.

Fluminense will resume action on June 21 at 7:00 PM local time against Ulsan, with hopes of securing a win to advance in the tournament. Silva expressed gratitude to the fans who traveled to support the team, stating, “A positive start to the tournament. Thank you to all the fans who traveled to support us — we’ll come back strong on Saturday!”