Top 10 forwards toughest to face, according to Thiago Silva

Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva sat down with Chelsea TV to share with the club the ten best forwards he has ever faced. The Brazilian has had a long career and…

By Arsh Das

March 13, 2021

3 min read

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Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva sat down with Chelsea TV to share with the club the ten best forwards he has ever faced. The Brazilian has had a long career and has been exposed to generations of footballers who all have their own defining traits.

10. Kylian Mbappe

TOPSHOT – Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Dijon, on February 29, 2020 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

The French wonderkid starts off the list for Silva, and rightfully so. Considering his pace and technical ability on the ball, he can prove to be a menace to the best of the best.

9. Didier Drogba

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba also made the list. ‘Drogba because of his physical strength despite being incredibly strong he still has a lot of technical skill.’

8. Angel Di Maria

Former PSG teammate Angel Di Maria was next for Silva, ‘Di Maria because of his technical quality and his incredible left foot, Mbappe because of his speed and also his technical quality.

7. Roberto Firmino

Fellow countryman and Liverpool forward Firmino was a rather surprising inclusion considering he isn’t the most prolific goalscorer. ‘[Roberto] Firmino, he has incredible technical quality. He is very intelligent in his movement that leaves defenders a bit lost.

6. Romario

Another fellow countryman, and one of Silva’s older opponents, ‘Romario because of his intelligence in the box. He’s the best I’ve seen in the box.

5. Adriano

‘Adriano, like Drogba, he’s an incredible physical force with an unbelievable powerful left-foot penalty shot.’

4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

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‘I’m going to say [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic as the fourth there because he is a guy that inspired me and I think he has inspired many kids to inspire what they are doing.

‘He was a black belt (in MMA) before he became a footballer and then after he found himself football. He’s a guy that I admire a lot. I had the chance to play with and against him and obviously he’s the fourth best in my list.

3. Neymar

The last of his countrymen, Neymar’s skill is world class for a reason, and the winger has gained recognition from Silva too. ‘Neymar because of his class, intelligence and magic. He is a player that impresses me with his technical quality and his ability to create out of nowhere.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

‘Cristiano [Ronaldo] because of his professionalism, his dedication and passion for football. He is a guy I really admire for his commitment and for everything he has achieved.

1. Lionel Messi