Gilberto Silva: Brazil to win Copa America, Messi vs Pele, Ronaldinho’s Comments & Why Neymar Should Join Arsenal

In an exclusive interview courtesy of Bet365’s Copa América coverage, Arsenal and Brazil legend Gilberto Silva has tipped Seleção Canarinho to beat overwhelming favourites and 2022 FIFA World Cup Winners Argentina to Copa América glory in the United States this summer.

The World Cup winning icon has also insisted that Lionel Messi is not even in the same category as Brazil icon Pele, whom he considers to be by far the greatest player in history.

Silva has called Ronaldinho’s comments on the national team prior to Copa América strange and insisted that Neymar would bring joy to Arsenal fans should he decide to switch Saudi Arabia for the Premier League.

Gilberto Silva: “My expectation for this tournament is that they can create a base foundation for the next two years when they will be ready for the next World Cup. I think this is the best thing Brazil can hope for.

“Obviously, if there is a possibility to win the title, it would be great. But we have to remember that until just a few months ago, we didn't have a manager properly.

“Now we have to support Dorival Junior in building his team. It was his idea, the concept he wanted from his team, including the players, to build the strongest team possible.

“In Copa América, I believe it is a great opportunity for him, for the players, to get to know each other, spend time together because there has been no time for him to build something before now.”

Gilberto Silva: “In this squad there are some good players and I wouldn’t like to compare them to 2002 because it is a different generation. The current squad is full of talented players that are doing so well with their clubs.

“Look at Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo, Douglas Luiz, Bruno Guimarães and so many others. Obviously, when you are in the Brazil squad, the expectation is always very high and players have to understand that.

“As a Brazilian, I believe in all those players, they understand how tough it is to be there wearing the yellow shirt for Brazil because everyone has a very high expectation and you have to raise the bar. I hope that they manage that, they just need to be themselves.

“They have a young group, they have the talent, and it's important for them just to find a way to win the games and win the competitions. If they win the competition now, it would be great.

“If not, it's an important time for them anyway. Let's do the best we can to have the best team possible going forward. Give the manager the headache over his squad for the World Cup.”

Gilberto Silva: “We have lived with this discussion with Brazil from generation to generation. I have experienced something similar. Some people who are so-called specialists, it’s irrelevant what they say.

“The important thing is for the players to just focus on what they have to do.

“This is what we did in the past, especially when I compare my time in the national team in three different periods. From the World Cup in 2002 and then Germany in 2006 and then South Africa in 2010, we have changed completely from how we started, which is a normal process.

“Players change, some have been replaced, but it doesn't mean that you are not strong and that you are not able to achieve things because we did achieve a lot of good things in that time.

“I think now it’s their turn to show people what you are able to do, by showing great results on the field.

“Now when you go to a competition, you have just to keep the focus and make sure you do the right things. Win or lose is the consequence of what you do on the field on the day of the game.

“But it's important to show character, show the strengths of the team and show the fighting spirit. I think this is what everybody wants to see from their team.”

Gilberto Silva: “From what I understood, from what I listened to, some people say it's a kind of advert from Ronaldinho.

“It seems like he explained what some of the fans think about Brazil at the moment. Ronaldinho is very low profile. When I saw that, it sounded very strange. Ronaldinho is not outspoken like that. He's very reserved, but always very supportive of Brazil so it was quite weird to see.

“However, it doesn't matter if you say things that are truthful, or as a joke, or if it's a commercial. It can create a big noise, especially from him.

“I believe that his own view is totally different from what came out a few weeks ago.”

Gilberto Silva: “Argentina, in my opinion, are the favourites for obvious reasons. They are the World Champions and they have been playing together for such a long time now.

“You just have to look at how they are as a team and how talented their players are.

“Sometimes it’s irrelevant. You can be the favourite but sometimes it doesn't work out. However they’ve obviously got a very strong team - we just have to say that sometimes it's not so bad to be underdogs.

“In 2002, Brazil were not the favourite in the list. We just worked quietly and won the tournament and Brazil could do the same this year.

“When your main rival plays before you and wins it does put a little bit of pressure on you, but you just have to concentrate on what you have to do.

“Brazil have to wait until that game, sometimes to generate a little bit of anxiety which shows how much you can win. They just need to keep their focus, just leave Argentina for the moment and focus on what they have to do.

“At some point in the competition, I hope they meet each other.”

Gilberto Silva: “Speaking about Lionel Messi, sometimes it's very easy, but sometimes you have to find the right words. We understand his quality, we all know that. I don't need to talk about his quality, or his ability.

“People are now comparing him to other younger players, talented players and there may be some aspects that he loses, for instance he doesn’t have the same speed that he used to, but his brain is the same. It is clinical.

“He knows how to use his energy to be in the right ways and the right time to decide games. At the World Cup he was their strength. Argentina used him in the right position and he used his brain and it worked.

“In this tournament it’s going to be the same. I'm sure it's going to be the same, but there are some talented young players in this tournament as well.

“From Argentina they have Julian Alvarez, from Brazil we have Rodrygo, Vini Jr and I hope that we see some other talent in the competition that shines.

Gilberto Silva: “I can’t pick Lionel Messi as the greatest player of all time. I don’t think we can discuss any player other than Pele. Pele is above that discussion.

“Alongside Messi you can discuss Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Nazario, Diego Maradona and some others, but not Pele.

“Things were not so easy for Pele. When you watch the videos of his career you can see that he didn’t have the same conditions.

“I’m not sure that all the players from my generation or even Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo could’ve done what they have done in their careers back them.

“Look at the physiotherapy we have now, the great conditions, the infrastructure. It was terrible in the past, it’s so different now.”

Gilberto Silva: “I’m glad that the tournament (Copa América) is being held in the United States. We have more teams, more fans, it’s a new attraction.

“We have Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica and some others. It's interesting because when we go down to South America, we don’t have as many teams as they have in Europe.

“Now there is an opportunity to have more teams in the competition, but also to discover more talent.”

Gilberto Silva: “Dorival Junior is not very well known in Europe, but very well known in Brazil. He has done some very good work at club level and won important things.

“It's a big challenge for him, of course. We all know how hard it is, the pressure is huge. I think that they decided a little bit late in choosing him, expecting something else that did not happen.

“But now we have to support him and he has started well in friendly games before the real competition. I hope we have a team that everyone understands and that represents the country,

“Everybody is very anxious to see the team perform and we have to support him, he is a very good guy and will do his best to bring success to the team.”

Gilberto Silva: “There was a conversation around Carlo Ancelotti, but I don’t know if it was a possibility, but it was a conversation that lasted for such a long time, which didn't help at all.

“Now we have a manager but it happened too long after the World Cup in Qatar. We didn’t end up with four years of preparation for the next World Cup - but three.

“Now it's over, finally, and I hope that Dorival has the best support possible from the federation and from everyone around the team.”

Gilberto Silva: “Marcelo Bielsa is very well known in South America. We know his ability and capacity to create a very good system for his team to perform at a high level.

“With his experience, his capacity, and especially with Uruguay, they have so many good players. It's incredible how from time to time they develop many talented players in such a small country.

‘But their passion is there, their passion for football, their passion to win things. I'm sure Uruguay is a threat also in the competition.”

Gilberto Silva: “Playing against Paraguay will be a big test, we have played them many times in qualification and friendlies and we know how tough it is. It’s not as big a rivalry as Argentina or Uruguay but it’s still a threat because they have produced so many good players.

“It’s also a very interesting moment for them because they missed out on the last World Cup and I think this is a good way for them to recover from that disappointment of not being in the World Cup.

“I have confidence in Brazil, as always, but this is going to be a tough game. It can end in a draw, 1-1.”

Gilberto Silva: “It's always tricky when you play against Colombia. They can be fantastic, but also sometimes they can have bad times.

“At the moment I must say that they have a very good team. I think the last time they faced Brazil they won. When you win against Brazil, this always sticks in your mind.

“It's going to be a tough game. This could be a draw as well with a couple of goals, 1-1.”

Gilberto Silva: “To win Copa América I would say Brazil, I’m not going for Argentina.”

Gilberto Silva: “We had a great time, Luis Felipe Scolari did a great job. He was a senior figure and like a father to us. He knew how to talk to each player individually to get the best out of us.

“He used to joke with Ronaldo but know how to push him to work a little bit more - then suddenly Ronaldo would destroys everyone in training,

“He knew the psychology of how to use these keywords, key phrases just to touch his ego or touch any other ego in order to get players to perform to 100% in training which gets you to play at 100% in games.

“He mastered that very well and the atmosphere was fantastic. I think we had a group of players who really wanted to win and wanted to succeed in the competition.

“We really want to get back to being champions because some senior players have lost the 1998 World Cup final and they said they didn’t want to cry again. Roberto Carlos and Rivaldo both said that they didn’t want to cry again and as a young player I listened to them.

“I said to myself that I need to run for those guys, just to make sure we win it again. I have to do my best. But in general, we had a great friendship and a great direction.

“The atmosphere was fantastic, with the music and the dancing. Sometimes people saw that and thought that the Brazilian squad didn't care about the game, they thought we were distracted.

“It actually got us into the mood of the game. It put the pressure on the other side. When we stopped the music the focus was there except we were relaxed.

“I don't remember players going out and partying. But, you know, there were moments that the team had the free time and this club allowed the players to, you know, to go out. Sometimes the playing depends on individuals. But I'm sure they used it quite well.”

Gilberto Silva: “From the distance I was on the field, I didn’t have a good perception of what was happening. Later on, watching the clips, I said, well, this looks a little bit too much!

“During the game it was difficult to see, to have the best view. But the decision was made, it was maybe not in favour of Turkey at the time.

“But therefore we had to play against them again in the semi-final, which was a big war because of that first game. Thankfully we were ready for another battle.”

Gilberto Silva: “I think that the international competitions will be important, but for what they have done for Real Madrid last season, I think both of them have been brilliant.

“But Vinícius Jr, for me, is a little ahead of Jude Bellingham. He has been very decisive on many occasions, just look at the Champions League final.

“But it's always tricky now, when you come to this moment. Let's see how much this summer competition will impact the results for who is going to win the Ballon d’Or.”

Gilberto Silva: “When Neymar decided to go to Saudi Arabia, the view from many Brazilians was not the best regarding the level of competition.

“It was a decision that he made and hopefully this doesn't impact his performances. It's tough, especially now because he got injured and then he can't do anything. However, you could be in Europe and get injured and then have to recover as well.

“I do believe Neymar. I do believe he has the potential to hit back against the negativity around him because in my opinion he's still the best Brazilian player at the moment. He has ability that not many players in the world have.

“It's just about him getting back to fitness, recovering properly and focusing on what he has to do. I'm in full support of him, even though he may not have the same level of competition when compared to European football, he understands the level he needs to be in order to perform well in the next World Cup.

“Let's see what can happen, there are still two years left and many things can change, maybe even a transfer. If that happens or not, I'm sure he's going to be fully focused and fully committed to help Brazil in the next competition.”

Gilberto Silva: “I’d love to see Neymar in the Premier League with Arsenal, it would be interesting that’s for sure. It would bring a lot of joy to fans and make the competition even more special.

When you look at the Premier League, we want to see the best players in the world and to have him around would be great. Let's see. It's not impossible that he could join Arsenal, why not.”

Gilberto Silva: “Playing in this competition (Copa América) will be something different for Canada than their players, it’s a great opportunity and experience.

“They already have a player in Alphonso Davies playing high level competitions such as Bundesliga and Champions League. But for many players this will be a big test to see which players can compete.

“It's a great experience for them, a great opportunity for them just to learn new things and also face a different type of opponent because this is what they are going to face in the World Cup and they have to be ready.

“The more you play against different countries, with different abilities and qualities, it's great for the players. In spite of the fact that it didn't start well, they have a chance to come back.”

Gilberto Silva: “Alphonso Davies would get into the Brazil team for sure. Especially now. Maybe in my time it wouldn’t have been easy to fight with Roberto Carlos. But now, for sure.

“He's a good player. I like him a lot.”

Gilberto Silva: “Everything is possible for the United States but of course it will be tough. You have to do more than you think you are capable of, especially playing at home, you know.

“If they don’t go all the way then it shouldn’t put them down too much because the World Cup is the main one, this type of tournament is like a smaller edition of what they can expect in two months time. But the players will still want to keep their fans happy and keep that support in 2026.”

Gilberto Silva: “Estevao Willian is worth the money. We have seen how much clubs have spent to acquire players in the Premier League and although Estevao is young, he has been playing for the Brazil youth teams and what he is doing at his age is very unique, it's special.

“If you look at the level of the young Brazilian players that have gone to Europe in recent years, the level of their game has made other players even more expensive.

“What’s more important than the price is how well they can adapt, which is difficult when you move to the Premier League. Having said that, everything I’ve seen about him says that he will be able to adapt and show a lot for Chelsea, I’m just sad that it won’t be at Arsenal.

“Palmeiras have become so strong in terms of developing players, with Luis Guilherme also joining West Ham and now Estevao Willian moving to Chelsea.”

Gilberto Silva: “Since Estevao Willian was very young, people started to compare him to Messi, calling him a little Messi. But I think it's too much pressure.

“The good thing is that he's very low profile and he doesn't call himself that, he just enjoys football, just doing what he has to.

“He’s not bothered about what people are saying about him, but making that comparison. It's too early. Let him be Estevao. Be Estevao and play for Palmeiras and soon he'll play for Chelsea.“

Gilberto Silva: “The lack of stability at Chelsea could make things tricky for Estevao Willian, I just hope that for his sake they can find stability because for players it's so important to have that.

“I was honestly expecting Mauricio Pochettino to stay for another season, I was surprised. But they know what they’re doing. I just hope the changes don’t impact the players.”

Gilberto Silva: “I think the national team is about momentum. He did very good things last season for Fulham and the Brazilian national team is in the process of transitioning with the new manager also.

“The manager has to call-up who he believes are the players in the best shape at the moment and he has done well and deserves a chance.”

Gilberto Silva: “Moving to Newcastle would be good for Andreas Pereira if he can play regularly, if he doesn’t get that then it will be tricky.

“We have seen with some players, sometimes they move to clubs and things don't work out. He was at Manchester United before, things didn't work very well for him, but he was younger then.

“He went to Brazil, was better, came back to Europe to Fulham and you can see he’s more mature now. Mature enough to handle those kinds of situations, those kinds of changes in his professional life and personal life, just to not let this change affect his game.

“He is now expecting a bigger step for him, which is quite normal. I think he did his best for Fulham.

“If he does move to Newcastle and play with Bruno, it would be a Brazilian midfield for Newcastle, which would be great to see.

“Bruno has done a great job for Newcastle. People love him, the club and the fans. Let's see what's going to happen.”

Gilberto Silva: “At Manchester United, we have to analyse the team itself and not players individually like Casemiro.

“Manchester United didn't have a good season until the very end, they had a few good performances but having a bad season like that impacts everyone.

“At times I have seen him play out of his position and play as a centre-back. The team itself had to deal a lot with injuries as well which was very tough for the manager, but very tough for the squad as well.

“Some players are impacted more than others and I was honestly surprised by how battered Casemiro was by pundits and commentators. The season before last they loved him and now everyone is pointing the finger at him, blaming him for Manchester United’s season.

“They need to just calm down and see the whole picture. You have to look at how United were performing as a team.

“Look at the whole picture and then you see the effect of it. For me, Casemiro is still a good player. I don't know whether he's going to stay or not in the club, but he's a player I would love to have on my team.

“I think he still has the ability and capacity to stay in the Premier League, whether he's going to be in United or any other club. It depends what he and the club want to do. I hope he can find a club that matches his expectations.”

Gilberto Silva: “Casemiro could be a good fit for Arsenal, let’s wait and see what happens. It would be very interesting if Thomas Partey left the club. If that spot becomes available then it would be interesting to see Casemiro there, he would bring a very strong and stable option to their midfield.”

Gilberto Silva: “Douglas Luiz is a good player, he could be a good fit at Arsenal if he doesn’t join Juventus.

“Nowadays it's quite easy to link players with Arsenal because they are in the Champions League and they are fighting for titles. Maybe a few years ago, not many players were linked to the club.

“Now the players must fit the profile, the style of how they are playing, how they are performing.

“It’s only a question of time until Arsenal win the Premier League title again, the last three years they have been so close and it’s been very tough for them in the end.

“But I'm sure that this new season, the new coming season, they have the ability to fight again, but this time to win.”

Gilberto Silva: “I want to see every good player at Arsenal and Nico Williams would be interesting, but I want to see more at Euro 2024. But he does play in the same position as Gabriel Martinelli.

“Williams had a great season to be linked to a club like Arsenal because they have done something great.

“I'm sure they are going to improve in some areas. I don't know which one, but probably there's some areas they might improve in.

“This season, I think there was a kind of a little bit of change in the left back because Zinchenko didn't play many games.”

Gilberto Silva: “I don’t know if Arsenal are going to bring players in to compete for places but they could sign another striker and someone to compete with Zinchenko.

“There has been a lot of talk about strikers but it's not so easy to find a good striker to fit Arsenal's needs. Gabriel Jesus had a tough season with injuries and missed big games

“I'm sure that Edu and Arteta will work behind the scenes to make the squad stronger again and to work hard on the player they've got, but find somebody that can fit that needs to help during the season because it's a long season.”

Gilberto Silva: “The last step for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal is to prove that they have a winning mentality. To prove that you are able to win trophies.

“If they don’t people start talking about you being a good team - but saying they are not winners. That is very annoying because sometimes people don't see the good work, the hard work you do when you win.

“For some people you are only good when you win the trophy, which I don't really agree with.

“They have done so well in the last season, but I really want to see them win the trophy, the silverware. It's going to be massively important for the club after so many years of being in the Premier League.

“To be back in this position is something that would be like what they really need, just to keep the momentum. Two times they were very close, but I believe this season is the time for them.”

Gilberto Silva: “Before Euro 2024 I would’ve said France but now I’m not so sure, despite the fact they have quality but in their games they haven’t been at their best.

“I think we have Germany, France and maybe Spain as favourites. England, unfortunately, they are under pressure to have a good performance. But it's down to them to come back, to bounce back and perform well.

“Let's stop saying that they have a good team, but they cannot deliver it. Come on, just support them as an English fan, I know this is what the people need to hear. I have to point to one winner, it would be Germany.”

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