Bournemouth defender António Silva has shared with Transfermarkt his reasons for joining Bournemouth, his experience adapting to the Premier League, his feelings about being left out of the Portugal squad, and his training and playing experiences alongside Ronaldo.

On choosing Bournemouth

Silva said: "I think Bournemouth has a very good development plan. Before I joined, Tiago Pinto, the club's football director, told me about this plan. I also thought manager Marco Rose was a great fit because he likes to develop young players. If you look at Bournemouth's signings in recent years, the way they play, and the way they sell players, you'll see they've done very well. So for me, choosing Bournemouth was an easy decision."

In recent years, several young defenders have developed at Bournemouth before moving to top clubs with high transfer fees. Huijsen joined Real Madrid for €62.5 million, Zabarnyi moved to Paris Saint-Germain for €63 million, and Kerkez joined Liverpool for €46.9 million.

When asked if these players' development paths served as a reference for him

Silva said: "To be honest, no. I played for Benfica for a few years, and Benfica is also a club that helps players move to big clubs. So I was simply looking for a good development plan. Pinto played a big role in that. What the future holds, we'll have to see. I hope to do my best this year, and then we'll see."

For young players, moving to another country, especially far from home, is never easy.

On adapting to the new environment

Silva said: "For me, Lisbon is home, so living abroad has been really difficult. But I came here to play in the Premier League, and I'll give everything to compete in this league. The people at Bournemouth have been very good to me; they welcomed me warmly. Now I'm quite familiar with the city, and I just want to play well."

Although the Primeira Liga ranks among Europe's top ten leagues, there are clear differences compared to the Premier League.

On the biggest differences between the two leagues

Silva said: "I think ultimately, the difference lies in the intensity and physicality of the matches. It feels like we're playing Champions League every weekend! I think that's the most appealing aspect of the Premier League. I also want to show my abilities here. I think I've done well, but I'd prefer it if the team was more successful. I think we should have achieved better results by now, but we need to prove that on the pitch."

On the team conceding goals late in matches

Silva said: "I think the problem lies with us; we've made some mistakes. That's part of football, but each mistake we make gets punished. So ultimately, it's our problem, and there's also a bit of bad luck involved. We need to fix this. I think if we can address it, we can get closer to the top of the table. That's our goal."

Despite being only 22 years old, Silva has earned 20 caps for Portugal. However, despite his good form at the start of the Premier League season, he was not called up by coach Jorge Jesus for the latest UEFA Nations League squad.

On being left out of the Portugal squad

Silva said: "Of course, I was hoping to be selected, but this time I wasn't. It's a difficult feeling because I've been working hard to do well at Bournemouth. I know that as long as I give my all and perform well here, I'll get closer to being called up to the national team. I'm hoping to be selected for the next squad. I'll do my best here, and then we'll see."

On Ronaldo

Silva said: "It's been amazing to be around him. I didn't participate in the most recent squad, but the previous camps I was with him were very enjoyable. I grew up watching him play at Real Madrid, and then training with him every day has been a wonderful experience. For me, he's the greatest player of all time. He's one of the most influential figures in the world, and for Portugal, he's also a crucial figure. I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to play and train with him."

Since joining Bournemouth, Silva has quickly faced difficult challenges, having come up against some of the world's top strikers early in the season. When asked about the toughest striker he's ever faced, he answered without hesitation.

Silva said: "Haaland. I had never played against him before. My first match for Bournemouth was against Manchester City, and that was the first time I faced him. He's very strong, very fast, and has a very sharp finishing ability. It was a good experience competing against him. That's also why I came here—to face the world's best strikers."

Meanwhile, another player who could become a future star is emerging at Vitality Stadium. Midfielder Alex Scott has shown promise early in the season but was unfortunately injured while playing for England recently.

On Scott

Silva's eyes light up as he says: "His technique is excellent. I know from before that he's a very talented player. I've worked with some outstanding midfielders at Benfica, like João Neves and Enzo Fernández, and I think he can absolutely compare with them. He can attack, defend, win physical battles, and create chances, so he's a very complete player. It's great to play alongside him at Bournemouth."

On the team's European ambitions

Silva said: "We had a very good start. There are still seven matches left in the group stage, and we're hoping to finish in the top eight, and then we'll see. I think we have the potential to reach the semi-finals or even the final, but we need to be realistic and take it one step at a time. I'm trying to share my experience with everyone. I'm only 22, but I've played many matches, including Champions League, and a season in the Europa League. So I'm trying to help them. We play in the Premier League as if it's the Champions League, and then we have to play in the Europa League midweek. However, I think we're doing well. The first match went well, and we'll try to get a win again against Sturm Graz."

"I've been captain of Benfica in some matches. I remember that in my second year at Benfica, Schmidt appointed me as third captain, so I'm used to taking on leadership responsibility and captaincy. I'm trying to bring that to Bournemouth. On the pitch, I like to communicate with my teammates, always in a positive way, which makes me feel good. I think I'm well-suited to be captain and a leader."

At the end of the interview, Silva also answered a series of questions about his teammates, selecting the best players among those he has played with. With so many stars he's mentioned, it's easy to forget that he's only actually 22 years old.

Who has the best first touch?

Silva said: "Rafa Silva from Benfica. He has pace, and he's excellent in every aspect. He's a very talented player and one of the best I've ever played with."

Who has the best right foot?

Silva said: "Ronaldo, yes, definitely him."

Who has the best left foot?

Silva said: "Di María."

Who is best at aerial duels—heading?

Silva said: "Otamendi."

Who has the highest football IQ?

Silva said: "I think Bruno Fernandes."

Who has the best close ball control?

Silva said: "This is a difficult choice. I'll go with João Neves."

Who is the best defender?

Silva said: "Rúben Dias."

Who is the most difficult player to face?

Silva said: "This is a difficult choice. I'll go with Leão because he's incredibly fast."

Who has the worst fashion sense?

Silva said: "A friend of mine, Tiago Gouveia, who is currently playing in Turkey. He played with me at Benfica for a few years. It's definitely him, no one else."

Website AF đã ra mắt! Xem tin tức đầy đủ, bình luận, chi tiết trận đấu và thống kê trên máy tính. Truy cập: www.allfootballapp.com