Biography
Who is Paulo da Silva?
Early life and career
Paulo César da Silva Barrios was born in Asunción, Paraguay, on February 1, 1980. He started his career in the youth divisions of Atlántida Sport Club, arriving at the club at the age of thirteen. In 1996, he reached the Primera División Paraguaya with Asunción team Presidente Hayes at the age of sixteen.
During his early years, he also represented Paraguay at the youth international level. He was selected for the Paraguay under-seventeen national team in 1994 when he was barely fourteen years old. Later, he represented the under-twenty-three team at the 2000 CONMEBOL Men Pre-Olympic Tournament and played in the FIFA World Youth Championships in 1997 and 1999.
Club career highlights
Throughout his extensive career, Paulo da Silva played top-flight football in Mexico, Paraguay, Spain, England, Italy, and Argentina. He spent significant time with Toluca in Mexico, where he became team captain and led them to the Apertura 2008 title, earning recognition as the best overall player of the tournament by the Mexican media. His club achievements also include winning titles with Libertad in Paraguay and lifting the CONCACAF Champions' Cup with Toluca.
In July 2009, he moved to English club Sunderland on a three-year deal, making his Premier League debut against Hull City. He later played for Real Zaragoza in Spain before returning to Toluca and eventually heading back to Paraguay to play for Club Libertad. He continued playing across various divisions in Paraguay well into his forties, returning to Atlántida Sport Club before officially retiring from professional play in October 2024 after the final match of the season.
International success
Paulo da Silva represented the senior Paraguay national team from 2000 to 2017. He became their most-capped player of all time, with official counts recording between 148 and 150 appearances for his country. His international career included playing in all five games for Paraguay during their run to the quarter-finals at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where he provided an assist in a group stage win against Slovakia.
He also played in two World Cups and four Copa América tournaments. His contributions helped the Paraguay national team finish as runners-up in the 2011 Copa América.
Personal life and height
Paulo da Silva stands at a height of 184 centimetres. Outside of playing on the pitch, he became a naturalized Mexican citizen in December 2015 while playing for Toluca in order to disoccupy a foreign player spot on the team. In October 2017, he also helped found the Asociación Mexicana de Futbolistas, which serves as the Mexican Footballers Association.
Birthday and age
Paulo da Silva was born on February 1, 1980, which makes Paulo 46 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Paulo shares the date with 67 other famous people.
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