A tireless worker, bursting with talent and yet with a humble approach, David Silva has slowly but surely made Spain's left wing his own and built up a highly productive association with Valencia team-mate David Villa at both club and international level.
By no means a one-dimensional wide-man, Silva is as adept at manoeuvring shooting positions for himself as he is creating chances for others. Able to beat his man with quick feet, pace and verve, Silva's vision and versatility means he can be deployed as a withdrawn striker, wide left of a front three or as a more conventional left-sided midfielder.
After signing for Los Chés at 14 years of age, three years coming up through the youth ranks followed by a year's loan at Eibar and Silva was deemed ready for his top-flight debut. This would come in August 2005 during another loan spell, this time at Celta de Vigo, with the diminutive schemer so impressive that Valencia had no doubts when recalling him the following season - where he promptly made a first-team spot his own.
A fixture for Spain at youth national-team level, Silva won the 2004 UEFA European U-19 Championship with his country as well as being part of the squad which finished second at the 2003 edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Finland and travelled to the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands. His senior debut came in a friendly match against Romania in November 2006, with then coach Luis Aragones determined to inject fresh blood into a La Roja squad that fell at the Round of 16 of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™.
The Wise Man of Hortaleza's plan worked to perfection, with the young Canary Islands native playing a pivotal role in Spain's historic success at UEFA EURO 2008. Silva played in five of the national team's six encounters in Austria and Switzerland, being rested for the final group game against Greece with La Roja's passage already secure, and scored a fine goal in the last-four encounter against Russia.
