Invisiblewall.net: Gilberto Silva News

From this article at Times Live, Gilberto Silva has been talking about the criticism levelled at him before he’s even taken to the pitch for the world cup in South Africa.

Tomorrow is Brazil’s first game against North Korea, and he’ll play in the team. Of the criticism, he said to Times Live,

Gilberto Silva says the criticism doesn’t make him mad: “It actually gives me motivation. The motivation I have now comes from this criticism against me.”

Gilberto Silva’s success with the Brazilian team is unquestionable. Besides winning the 2002 World Cup, he also helped Brazil win the 2005 and 2009 Confederations Cups, as well as the 2007 Copa America, when he was the team’s captain.

In the warm-up against Tanzania on Monday he played his 93rd match for Brazil, surpassing all-time great Pele.

But he remains one of the least talked about players in the squad, even when the team is missing several stars, as it is now.

Gilberto Silva complains that many fans and parts of the local media usually categorize him as “old” instead of “experienced,” something he doesn’t see done for many other top international players.

“When they talk about (Sebastian) Veron, they say how much his experience will help Argentina,” Gilberto Silva said. “That’s not the case for me.”

Having gone through glory in 2002 and disappointment in 2006, Gilberto Silva feels he can help Brazil’s newcomers. Coach Dunga left many stars out of the squad and picked several lesser-known players who have shown their full commitment to the national team.

“I have no doubt that my experience in these past World Cups will help,” Gilberto Silva said. “I already know how it is and I can pass what I have learned to the other players. The motivation I have for this competition is the same. It’s like I’m playing in my first World Cup.”

Gilberto Silva started every match when Brazil won the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, with performances that brought a contract with Arsenal and established him as one of the top defensive midfielders in the world.

He left Arsenal in 2008, unhappy because coach Arsene Wenger didn’t appoint him permanent captain after striker Thierry Henry left for Barcelona.

Dunga asked Gilberto Silva to be Brazil’s captain ahead of the 2010 World Cup, but the midfielder didn’t think it would be a fair on former leader Lucio. Gilberto Silva was only appointed captain at the 2007 Copa America because Lucio didn’t play.

“I had gone through a difficult experience myself with Arsenal, and I told that to Dunga,” Gilberto Silva said. “Lucio is the captain.” The elegant midfielder is not known for his scoring ability and says he doesn’t try to move forward too much to keep from “getting in the strikers’ way.”

But he wouldn’t mind finding the net at the World Cup, especially after surpassing Pele’s mark with the national team.

“Unfortunately, I don’t play in the same position that Pele used to play,” Gilberto Silva said. “But maybe I’ll have a chance to score one of those nice goals he used to score all the time. Who knows?”