Cleiton Silva is chasing a feeling, always. The euphoria of scoring goals.
“You feel so much pleasure (after scoring a goal) and you want to feel this more and more. It’s a feeling that you chase and not just in the game. Sometimes you are watching a game and you feel this already inside,” he says with a laugh.
It’s easy to understand Silva’s quest for goals. He is a Brazilian, after all. It’s how they identify with the game, seeking happiness and laughter on the field, to celebrate goals with unbridled joy. His 10 goals and four assists in 23 games for the Bengaluru FC since last season have shown enough evidence of that.
“Brazilian players have this way to play... It’s about dribbling, skills and the beautiful moments,” he admits. Silva has had many beautiful moments in his career.
He was twice the top scorer in Thai Premier League, the first foreigner in Thailand to score more than 100 goals. He has won the league, cup and Champions Cup in Thailand.
“It’s amazing to score the goals, to win the match. Winning a trophy - you prepare for the season and at the end you win the trophy... I know it doesn’t always happen but the feeling is amazing,” he says.
BFC were interested in the 34-year-old for a while before the move finally materialised. Silva is a typical Brazilian player, one that moves with grace, swaying with the rhythms of Samba. He is consistent, a goal-threat, among the most game-wise players in the league and has over a decade of experience in playing in Asia.
For BFC, winning trophies was what they built their legacy on. Silva knew how to do that as well. But the script has been different the past two seasons, especially the last one which saw the club let go of head coach Carles Cuadrat halfway through the season and finish seventh in the table. Now, starting the new domestic season under coach Marco Pezzaiuoli, the challenge is to repair the lost sheen.
“Marco has a different style (to Carles). It’s a more high pressing game. Carles was a bit robotic with the ball,” he says. “We are building a new team. We have five new foreigners. We are training hard to have better communication before the season. It’s about how we fit together as a team, that is most important.”
His role has evolved too, to one of the seniors tasked to guide the youngsters that have made their way into the first team this season.
“I like the senior role. I had the same thing in Thailand,” he says. “Let’s see how we do this season. Only at the end do we know if it is better (than last season).”
Silva’s raring to go, chasing that feeling again. BFC best hope he finds it.
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