Thiago Silva Quotes

The World Cup needs a brilliant Brazilian team.

The first World Cup I remember was in the 1950 when I was 9 or 10 years old. My father was a soccer player, and there was a big party, and when Brazil lost to Uruguay, I saw my father crying.

I remember my second game for England - we lost 2-0 to Norway, I was subbed and didn't do myself justice and I thought that was the end of my England career.

Brazil goes into every World Cup expecting to win - so when it is in Brazil it is expected even more. You can't understand what the World Cup means to our country.

Here at Carolina, our World Cup opponents marked their calendars. Obviously the other nations wanted to win every game, but a big upset over the U.S. was something we knew other teams would cherish.

Brazil's always had great players, both at home and abroad, but we need to put all that talent together and mould a team out of it.

I played against the Brazilians in '82, who were definitely the best team never to have won the World Cup.

Nearly all the Brazilian supporters are wearing yellow shirts - it's a fabulous kaleidoscope of colour.

Brazil is a country I hold very dearly. I've got followers there who I've been interacting with for years, as well as fellow artists like Ivete Sangalo, and it also has huge figures like Pele. I'd love to go to that World Cup - I'm not sure in what capacity, but I'll definitely be there. I know that nobody wants to miss it, least of all me.

I came to England because I thought it would help me to get back in the Brazilian national team.

It would be fantastic to play against Germany and Brazil.

I've been part of five World Cups and we reached the semis only in 1996.

The title I most want is the 2014 World Cup.

I've been lucky enough to play in the final of a World Cup before, but it's always an amazing experience to walk out at a packed stadium.

It doesn't get much bigger than England v. Germany at Wembley.

For Brazil or any other national team in the world, to play Uruguay is a commitment and a very tough match.

Every player wants to win the World Cup - every country wants to win the World Cup - so anything less than that is not really a bonus. Of course you can take positives out of everything, but you won't be entirely happy if you don't win it.

I believe an African team will one day win the World Cup, and it could even be in Brazil.

Neymar is the representative of the Brazil team, of what we're all about. Being in the squad alongside him is always a pleasure, and we always have more chance of being champions if he's around.

It's so important to be chosen for the national team. For the Copa America, for the World Cup, or just friendly matches, it's such an honour to reach that stage and be chosen for the team. People expect players to wear Brazil's shirt, win the title with pride, and keep winning. You have to have the mental strength to get over this pressure.

It was very painful to be so close to a World Cup final.

When I was a kid, I dreamed of wearing the Selecao shirt in a World Cup.

Every championship that Brazil participates, we have the responsibility to win - every time. So when we don't win, it's considered as a failure.

Would I have preferred not to play in a home World Cup for Brazil, a privilege that most people in this world can only dream of? Not a chance.

For me the French team belongs to the past.