Former Manchester City and Spain midfielder David Silva has come out of retirement at 40 years old to return to professional football with Sha Tin, a club in the Hong Kong Premier League.
Silva, who retired in 2023 following an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained during pre-season training with Real Sociedad, is set to join the Hong Kong side and work towards making his debut.
The former City playmaker won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, while also claiming four Premier League titles over a decade at Manchester City.
He claimed 11 major honors with City and scored 60 Premier League goals, earning a statue outside the club’s Etihad Stadium.
“I’m so excited to go to Hong Kong and enjoy the local culture, the food in Sha Tin and, of course, football in Hong Kong,” Silva said in an Instagram video.
Sha Tin stated that Silva would arrive in Hong Kong to settle in, join squad training, and build up his match fitness before making his debut.
“David Silva will be in Hong Kong soon to settle in, link up with squad training, and build up to peak match fitness before making his pitch debut,” the club said.
Sha Tin currently sit eighth in the Hong Kong Premier League following four matches, and they are set to take on Hong Kong Football Club on Sunday, October 18.
