Manchester City ace Bernardo Silva is the player with the Midas touch. Be it as an attacker, midfielder, or even a fullback, the little Portuguese wizard can do it all. Yet, despite being a starter for the treble-winning side in the brutal Premier League, playing for Portugal is more challenging claimed Bernardo. Quite a puzzling stance, considering that he plays alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo during international duty. What could he be implying? Is it performance-related or something completely different?
Despite claiming that playing for Portugal is a challenging affair, Bernardo Silva and his national side have been on a 10-match winning streak. This puts them in a great place ahead of Euro 2024. Perhaps, is he looking to reduce expectations with his comments?
Bernardo Silva reveals the main challenge to win silverware with Portugal
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In an interview with media outlet A Bola, the Portuguese international spoke of the differences in playing for club & country. Bernardo Silva said, “Manchester City has won five Premiers in six years and now a Champions League, and with the Portuguese national team – and of course it is more difficult because there are much fewer competitions.” It looks like the left-footed magician is talking not about the actual difficulty of the matches, but the scarcity of opportunities to win with the Portugal team is less. Without a doubt, this was a measured & accurate comment, just like his playing style.
Bernardo Silva has won 15 major honors with Pep Guardiola‘s side. He has also won the league at his previous clubs Monaco & Benfica. However, major success has eluded him so far in Portugal. His only notable victory was the UEFA Nations League win in 2019. A player with Bernardo’s pedigree will not be satisfied with that record and want greater success in the future. He added that he wishes to become a European champion in 2024. If it wasn’t for an injury, the star could have already realized his dream in 2016. It seems like the incident has left him incomplete.
How an injury shattered Silva’s dreams
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The Man City man spoke about missing out on the Euro 2016 squad. Silva said, “Yes, I’ve never won a trophy like a European or a World Cup. It’s a big goal I have in my career: to win a European Championship or a World Cup with our national team.” It seems Bernardo Silva regrets not being able to play a part in Portugal’s triumph.
The midfielder clarified, “My feeling is the same because I know that, at the end of the day, what counts in football is winning. I always play to win, but obviously, I don’t feel complete at national team level.” With a determined and in-form Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal is indeed one of the major contenders for the coveted trophy.
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Can Bernardo Silva & Portugal win the Euro? Let us know in the comments below.
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