David Silva to come out of retirement for one match with Hong Kong’s Supreme Sha Tin
David Silva will come out of retirement at 40 to play a single match for Hong Kong Premier League club Supreme Sha Tin, the club announced last week. The former Manchester City and Spain midfielder said he was surprised by reports suggesting he had signed for a season, adding: “I am surprised because in the end it is only to play one match.”
Hong Kong, China (as is the official football name), has a long football history dating back to its time as a British colony and continuing after 1997, despite not being widely regarded as a football hotbed. The territory has previously hosted players such as George Best, Peter Shilton, Arie Haan, Bobby Moore, Diego Forlán, Nicky Butt, René van de Kerkhof, Tony Morley, Gordon McQueen and Craig Foster, and the club said Silva will soon join that list. Observers of Hong Kong football have also balanced a desire for independence for the local association with close ties to China, a dynamic the original report compared to Han Solo’s advice in Return of the Jedi.
The announcement follows a retirement that began more than three years ago after Silva suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during pre-season training for Real Sociedad. Silva spent three seasons at San Sebastián after a decade at Manchester City, where he helped the club to four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five League Cups between 2011 and 2018; those trophies were later described as tainted by the findings of the Premier League’s independent commission. Internationally, Silva earned 125 caps for Spain and was part of the side that won the 2010 World Cup and the Euros on either side of that tournament.
Supreme Sha Tin, promoted last season, had reportedly tried to sign Juan Mata before securing Silva, whom the club introduced in a video posted to its Instagram account. The club’s post quoted him: “I am very happy to join Supreme Sha Tin for this experience,” and added: “I am really looking forward to going to Hong Kong to enjoy the culture, the people and the food.” The Instagram announcement also stated: “We are officially announcing that the legendary Spanish No 21 midfielder, David Silva, has officially joined Supreme Sha Tin!” and: “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. Stay tuned!” The club promised supporters special behind-the-scenes access and celebrated the move with the line: “Our founders struck it big with this deal!”
Supreme Sha Tin’s owner, Jim Wong Chi-chuen, who also plays for the team, took control of the club three years ago and has overseen a rebrand that included appointing the girl group Collar as club ambassadors. The club’s recent changes followed the reported arrest in June of Lo Kwan-yee, the coach who delivered promotion, over alleged match-fixing; local media said the allegations relate to the period before Lo joined Sha Tin. Wong told the South China Morning Post: “We’ve lost some sponsors and, financially, they haven’t been replaced. The financial pressure on me is greater than I expected, but I want to push this forward and make it work. I’m trying to do something very pure.”
Whether bringing a 40-year-old out of retirement for a single fixture is beneficial for Hong Kong football was described as a question not for Silva to answer, and the player stressed finances were not his motivation. Silva said: “It is in Hong Kong, a city I love very much … Some have expressed concern about the financial side for me … But that is not the case here. Thanks to my father and my adviser, with whom I have been investing well for years, I have achieved great success.”
The immediate plan, as set out in the club’s announcement, is for Silva to travel to Hong Kong to settle in, link up with squad training and build up to peak match fitness ahead of his pitch debut in the single league match he has agreed to play.
