The name Ederson is not unheard of in the world of football, but just how well do you know him and his teammates at Manchester City? Did you know that two players in City are related? Here’s a fun fact to get us started: all three speak Portuguese and were previously with Benfica.
In this week’s edition of Know Your Players, we have Ederson, Bernardo Silva, and Matilde Fidalgo!
Ederson
First on our list is Manchester City’s star goalkeeper, Ederson Santana de Moraes! Agile, attentive, and a dominant force on the pitch with fantastic long-distance kicks, some would consider this tattooed Brazilian as one of the best keepers in the world. Known simply as ‘Ederson’ and nicknamed ‘The Bull’ by his coaches during his younger days, he’s our Blues’ last line of defence and an essential first-team player.
Fun Facts:
- Ederson’s move to City in 2017 put him on the list of Top 10 Most Expensive Goalkeepers.
- While at Benfica’s youth level, he played with fellow Cityzen Bernardo Silva.
- In his 99 appearances in the Premier League, he’s made a grand total of 361 accurate long balls, 45 clean sheets, 2,414 passes and 166 saves!
- Ederson has fought through the toughest of matches and injuries, a particularly memorable one being the [accidental] kick to the face from Liverpool striker Sadio Mane in September 2017. This was during Ederson’s first season with City, and our Blues left with a 5-0 victory that day.
- On 10 May 2018 at the Etihad Stadium, he broke the Guinness World Record for the longest drop kick, registered at 75.35 metres
Bernardo Silva
Second is one of the most coveted players in the game today: Portuguese football prodigy Bernardo Silva. A versatile attacking midfielder whose technique and leg work are second to none, he’s become one of Guardiola’s most trusted players, ensuring the Blues have an ace in the hole in every match.
Fun Facts:
- He’s one of the two Silvas in Manchester City (the other being Spanish veteran David Silva).
- He was ManCity’s Player of the Season in the 2018/2019 campaign, making a total of 13 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances.
- He scored his first Premier League hat trick in an 8-0 victory against Watford on 21 September 2019
- His teammates nicknamed him ‘Bubblegum’ – a compliment to his dribbling prowess, as the ball seems to stick to his feet (and his alone!).
- On 3 January 2019, in a 2-1 victory against Liverpool, Silva broke the record for the most ground covered in a single Premier League match, running a total of 13.7 km.
Matilde Fidalgo
Last but not least is a valuable member of Manchester City Women’s Team, Matilde Fidalgo. A passionate footballer who surpasses expectations and previously a champion in her native Portugal, she signed over to City in May 2019, at the age of 25.
Fun Facts:
- She and Bernardo Silva are second cousins! Although they’re both born in 1994 and share the same great-grandparents, they hadn’t met until a few years ago!
- She’s not one to shy away from a challenge – she has two brothers and grew up playing football with the boys.
- While transitioning from amateur to professional, she also obtained a master’s degree in environmental and energy engineering. According to her, “Football doesn’t last forever. My degree was about renewable energies, and I think that’s the future. I think there’s going to be space for me in that area.”
Be sure to check out next week’s Know Your Players for more fun facts on our footballers!