"I hope to play until I'm 40, like Maldini!"
"It's funny because we were talking about it just this morning with my team. We were discussing Paolo Maldini and the end of my career. The idea of playing as long as possible took hold when I arrived at Milan in 2009. Maldini was playing his last six months, and I couldn't be signed yet. But Carlo Ancelotti asked me to be present at all the games, at San Siro and away, to observe his preparation, his warm-ups, his routine up close. I understood that to have a long career, you have to make a lot of sacrifices. It was from that moment on that I changed my mentality and decided to become an athlete, not just a footballer,"
Thiago Silva has been linked with a possible six-month return to AC Milan as the club seeks senior reinforcements. At 41, Silva continues to perform at a high level in Brazil and impressed against European opposition at the Club World Cup. AC Milan also has Sergio Ramos available, but there is no urgency to sign him. Silva referenced Paolo Maldini's late-career example from Milan, recalling observing Maldini's preparation and routines in 2009. Silva credited that experience with a mentality shift toward greater sacrifice and becoming an athlete rather than just a footballer to extend his career.
Read at SempreMilan
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