Abel Silva

Abel Jorge Pereira da Silva, CvIH (born 21 August 1969), sometimes known as just Abel, is a Portuguese former footballer.

For the Brazilian lyricist and composer, see Abel Silva (writer).

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Pereira and the second or paternal family name is Silva.
Abel Silva
Personal information
Full name Abel Jorge Pereira da Silva
Date of birth (1969-08-21) 21 August 1969
Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
1978–1984 Atlético
1984–1988 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1994 Benfica 16 (1)
1989–1990 → Académica (loan) 14 (2)
1990–1991 → Penafiel (loan) 33 (1)
1991–1992 → Marítimo (loan) 22 (0)
1993-1995 → S.L. Benfica 21 (0)
1995 Vitória Setúbal 9 (0)
1995–1996 Felgueiras 23 (0)
1996–1997 Campomaiorense 21 (0)
1997–1998 Estoril 20 (0)
1998–2000 Alverca 39 (0)
2000–2001 Atlético 9
Total 227 (4)
International career
1989 Portugal U20 5 (1)
1989–1991 Portugal U21 13 (0)
Managerial career
2004–2005 Benfica (assistant)
2005–2007 Al-Nassr (assistant)
2007 Famalicão (assistant)
2007–2008 Portosantense
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Winner1989 Saudi Arabia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

One of the players who scored (both editions combined) goals in Portugal's two consecutive U-20 World Cup triumphs, the right back played for a total of ten clubs.

He started his career with Benfica, where he later worked as an assistant coach and a scout after amassing Primeira Liga totals of 142 matches and two goals over the course of nine seasons.

Playing career

In 1987, at the age of 18, Lisbon-born Abel was invited to play for S.L. Benfica's youth sides, where he performed well winning many awards, moving to the first team after just one season. He was on squad for Portugal when it won the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship, scoring the opener in the final against Nigeria (2–0).[1][2]

After an unspectacular first year, only playing one game (his debut came against S.C. Braga, on 2 April 1989, in a 1–0 win), Silva transferred to Académica de Coimbra from the second division on loan, where he was given his first real chance as a senior.[3] His next stop was at F.C. Penafiel, also on loan, where he started most of the year to help them avoid top level relegation, ultimately netting his penultimate goal as a professional.

Abel experienced a final loan spell with C.S. Marítimo also in the Primeira Liga, in the 1991–92 campaign, then returned to Benfica. In January 1995 he was finally released and joined Vitória FC, where he remained until the end of the season.

Subsequently, Silva represented F.C. Felgueiras, S.C. Campomaiorense, G.D. Estoril Praia, F.C. Alverca and Atlético Clube de Portugal – the latter in division three – with an average of about 20 appearances per year, before retiring from the game in June 2001 at nearly 32.

Coaching career

In the 2004–05 season, Abel took up coaching, being part of Giovanni Trappatoni's staff as Benfica put an end to an 11-year drought and won the national league. After more assistant spells, with F.C. Famalicão and Al-Nassr FC, he began his head coaching career in 2007, with lowly C.D. Portosantense.

On two separate spells, Abel worked with Benfica as scout.[4][5]

References
  1. "Riade, 25 anos: como foi e onde estão os campeões" [Riyadh, 25 anos: how did it go and where are the champions] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  2. Pierrend, José Luis. "World Youth Cup Champions Squads 1977 – 2005". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  3. "Veteranos da Associação Académica de Coimbra" [Associação Académica de Coimbra veterans] (in Portuguese). Veteranos AAC. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  4. "Abel Silva observa Pavle Ninkov" [Abel Silva watches Pavle Ninkov]. Record (in Portuguese). 4 December 2008. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  5. "Mercado europeu prioritário para Quique" [European market a priority for Quique]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 4 April 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
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