Jorge Mendes says Bernardo Silva was repeatedly told he would never become an important player, only perhaps good enough for Primera or Segunda División. He made those remarks at the Leading the Game forum at Católica Porto SBE's Executive MBA in Football and Liga Portugal Business School, and the point landed because Silva is now at Real Madrid, 32 years old and on 115 international caps to date.

Mendes on the doubts around Silva

"There is the example of Bernardo Silva. I was told several times: ‘Jorge, forget it, you have no chance, Bernardo Silva will never be an important player, at most he will play in Primera or Segunda División, maybe in a team like Paços de Ferreira’." Mendes also said clubs were put off by his physical profile, with stronger players often preferred in academy settings.

That line only looks harsh because the career that followed is so obvious now. Mendes said Silva went from Benfica to Monaco, where people did not want to keep him after the first year, then to Manchester City for €15.8 million, a fee that later rose to €50 million three seasons later.

He added: "He was a possession player, not one of those who run everywhere, and that is why he also went to City, which was the team for him." Silva spent nine seasons there, making 460 appearances and scoring 76 goals.

Why the Madrid move fits the same profile

The Madrid chapter is still early, but it lines up with the same technical argument Mendes was making. Bernardo Silva has already made 8 appearances for Real Madrid and has 1 goal contribution this season, with his role and influence still settling.

The possession numbers are the clearest sign. Madrid average 57% possession when Silva is on the pitch, compared with 47% in his absence, while the team average across the season is 52%. Against RB Leipzig, they reached 62% possession with him starting, and he scored his first goal for Madrid in that match. In the Clásico on October 25, Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 and Silva played 80 minutes.

José Mourinho has, now, been regularly putting his faith in the Portuguese midfielder, unlike what happened at the start of the season. That fits the more gradual reading of this move. Silva is not being sold as an instant fix, but the control numbers suggest why Madrid keep using him, and the next checkpoint is whether he keeps that place after the October 25 Clásico.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →