Thiago Silva most frequent teammates XI revealed ahead of Chelsea reunion at Club World Cup

Cavani & Di María included 

It’s a storyline that writes itself - a legend facing his former club on the world stage. Thiago Silva, the iconic Brazilian defender, has rolled back the years to help boyhood club Fluminense reach the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, setting up a highly anticipated clash against none other than Chelsea. The 40-year-old has captained the Rio de Janeiro-based team with trademark composure and grit. Now, just a year after leaving Stamford Bridge, he'll be standing opposite to many familiar faces.

Fluminense are the only non-European team in the semi-finals, and are not only flying the flag for the whole of Brazil, but the whole of South America. Silva has enjoyed a stellar career, winning the Champions League, the Copa América, Serie A, and Ligue 1, and has played with a whole host of legendary talents across the course of his playing days. Here at Transfermarkt, we have crunched the numbers to put together an XI of Silva's most frequent teammates throughout his career, and it makes a fierce line-up.

Thiago Silva's most frequent teammates XI

In between the sticks is former PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu. The Italian played 101 matches with Silva at PSG. At right-back it's Dani Alves, who played 112 games with Silva for both PSG and Brazil. Alongside the man himself at centre-half is Marquinhos. No player has shared the field more times with Silva than the 228 times Marquinhos has with PSG and Brazil. At left-back it's another Brazilian in Maxwell, who played 151 games with Silva for Brazil and PSG. In central midfield it's Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi, who both played with Silva at PSG for 224 and 186 matches respectively.

On the left-wing is Argentine legend Ángel Di María, who played 163 games with Silva at PSG, whilst Silva's old PSG and Brazil teammate Lucas Moura lines up on the right-wing, having played 182 matches alongside the defender. Then up top, the deadly duo of Edinson Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimović pair up. The Uruguayan played 216 matches with Silva at PSG, whilst the Swede managed 195 appearances with the Brazilian. Silva has enjoyed a fruitful and incredibly well-respected career, and if he can lead his childhood club to the final of the Club World Cup, it would be a fitting conclusion.