LYON – Jerónimo Silva is the father of Damien da Silva, a 33-year-old centre-back with a consolidated career at clubs such as Niort, Chateauroux, Rouen, Clermont, Caen and Rennes and training in Bordeaux. The defender arrived this season in historic Lyon, having the opportunity to cross paths with his favorite team, FC Porto, asserting his Portuguese roots, which are in the parish of Oliveira de Santa Maria, in the municipality of Famalicão. After being on the bench at Dragão, a situation that made him particularly sad, Damien is waiting for the opportunity to face the Dragons at the Groupama stadium.
“I hope Lyon win and Damien plays. It was very good for him, he came in for a few minutes with Rennes in the second half. The defense was a little down, it may be an option. It was very important for him to be able to face FC Porto. He was sad that he didn’t play the first hand. In other games it doesn’t bother him so much, but this one had special ingredients», notes Jerónimo, the fundamental influence on his son’s sport, already born in France.
«Since he was little, he has only watched FC Porto, always looking for results, looking to watch the games, collecting FC Porto jerseys and other equipment. And he still continues to have them and to look for them. At Rennes he asked a Malian colleague to bring Marega’s jersey. And so it was. In the meantime, he offered me the one from Marega because he has many others from FC Porto», explains Jerónimo, who is also a champion of dragons.
“I was the one who passed it on to you. My brothers are from Sporting and Benfica, they tried to pull him but they couldn’t, he was always by my side. I can’t even classify how he would love to play for FC Porto!», argues Jerónimo, recognizing that his son is at a good time to get to know his father’s country better.
“He is at the end of his career at the age of 33. I think it would end beautifully if he could still play in Portugal at a good club. I’m not just talking about the big ones, a SC Braga or V. Guimarães would be interesting, even because they left it close to their grandparents’ house. But if it was FC Porto it would be the best thing that could happen to him», projects Jerónimo Silva, defying Damien’s idols.
«Pepe is his great reference, he was already in the first phase at FC Porto. He was in Portugal with the intention of hunting for the shirt but I don’t think it was possible because of Pepe’s bad luck in the game. But if he can, he’ll change it this time”, guarantees Jerónimo, adding that whenever he visits Portugal, the player doesn’t dispense “a cod à Brás”.
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