Former Manchester City midfielder David Silva has announced his return to professional football, signing with Hong Kong Premier League club Sha Tin at the age of 40. Silva, who retired in 2023 after an anterior cruciate ligament tear during pre‑season training with Real Sociedad, said he was "so excited to go to Hong Kong and enjoy the local culture, the food in Sha Tin and, of course, football in Hong Kong" in an Instagram video.
Silva’s career includes winning the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, as well as four Premier League titles with Manchester City – the first three of which were later found to be in breach of the league’s financial rules, an issue the club has appealed against. He retired after a decade at City, during which he collected 11 major honours and earned a statue outside the Etihad Stadium.
Sha Tin currently sit eighth in the league after four matches and will face Hong Kong Football Club on Sunday, 18 October. The club said Silva will arrive soon to settle in, link up with squad training, and build up to peak match fitness before making his pitch debut.
Fans and analysts alike are watching to see how Silva’s experience will influence the Hong Kong Premier League, and whether his presence will help raise the profile of the competition.
