| Willian Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 8.5 in |
| Weight | 73 kg |
| Date of Birth | August 9, 1988 |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Spouse | Vanessa Martins |
Willian is a Brazilian professional soccer player known for having played under successful football clubs like Shakhtar Donetsk, Anzhi Makhachkala, and Chelsea FC. He has done endorsement work for numerous brands like Xbox and Nike. He has a huge social media fan base with more than 7 million followers on Instagram, more than 3 million followers on Twitter, and more than 6 million followers on Facebook.
Born Name
Willian Borges da Silva
Nick Name
Willian
Sun Sign
Leo
Born Place
Ribeirão Pires, São Paulo, Brazil
Residence
London, England, United Kingdom
Nationality
Education
Willian got his soccer education from the youth academy of the Brazilian powerhouse Corinthians.
Occupation
Professional Soccer Player
Family
- Father –Â Servino da Silva (He sold car parts)
- Mother – Maria Jose Borges (She passed away at the age of 57 in October 2016 after a lengthy battle with cancer)
- Siblings – Michele da Silva (Sister)
Manager
Willian is represented by Kia Joorabchian.
Position
Winger, Attacking Midfielder
Shirt Number
10 – Shakhtar Donetsk, Anzhi Makhachkala
22 – Chelsea FC
19 – Brazil
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 8½ in or 174 cm
Weight
73 kg or 161 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Willian has dated –
- Vanessa Martins (2011-Present) – Willians met his wife Vanessa Martins when he was 21 years old. He had met her while holidaying in São Paulo during a break from football. They got married in a small and intimate wedding ceremony in 2011. During the course of their marriage, they became parents to twin daughters, Manuella and Valentina.
Race / Ethnicity
Latino
He has Brazilian ancestry.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Afro hairdo
- Strong and defined jawline
Brand Endorsements
- Willian has a personal endorsement deal with Nike and it requires him to wear their cleats during his matches.
- He has also appeared alongside Marcus Rashford in a TV commercial for Xbox.
- He has also used his social media activity to promote products and brands such as Sprayground (backpack brand).
Religion
Christianity
Best Known For
- His successful stint with the Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk. He won 4 Ukrainian Premier League titles as well as 3 Ukrainian cups with the team.
- Being signed up with Chelsea FC. In his 3rd season with the club, he was declared “Chelsea Player of the Year” and “Chelsea Players’ Player of the Year”.
First Soccer Match
- In 2006, he made his professional debut with the Brazilian club Corinthians. He managed to make a breakthrough in the following season.
- In September 2007, he made his debut for Shakhtar Donetsk in their 2-1 victory over Chornomorets Odesa. He came in as a substitute for his fellow Brazilian player Jadson.
- In September 2013, he made his first competitive debut for Chelsea FC in a Champions League match against Basel. His side lost the match by 2-1.
- In November 2011, Willian made his first appearance for Brazilian National Team in a friendly match against Gabon.
Strengths
- Speed
- Acceleration
- Agility
- Technical Ability
- Stamina
- Creativity
- Vision
- Direct Playing Style
Weaknesses
Sometimes, he shows inconsistency.
First TV Show
In 2016, Willian made his first TV show appearance on the sports show, Final Score.
Personal Trainer
Willian isn’t a fan of working on his upper body and doesn’t care about strength exercises. He also doesn’t like going for interval training style regimes, which is quite popular among soccer players. However, he is obsessed with improving his core strength as it assists his explosive playing style and reduces the risk of injuries. He heads to the gym at least once or twice a week to work on his abdominal muscles, lumbar spine, and hips.
Willian also makes sure that he is eating a balanced diet to compliment his fitness regime. He tries to eat everything including carbs in the form of pasta, fresh vegetables, and meat. To aid his recovery, he makes sure that he is getting adequate sleep.
Willian Favorite Things
Source – Daily Mail
Willian Facts
- He has claimed in his interview that if he hadn’t become a soccer player, he would have loved to become a musician.
- Willian was picked up by Corinthians when he was 9 years old. He had played for a local team against their youth team and they were impressed.
- In August 2007, he moved to Europe after he signed a 5-year contract with Shakhtar Donetsk as they paid €14 million to Corinthians for his transfer.
- In January 2013, he signed up with Anzhi Makhachkala as they bought him for €35 million. However, he stayed with them for just 6 months as they sold him to Chelsea after Anzhi decided to restructure the whole club and decided to release expensive players.
- He was also present under Jose Mourinho in the past and Chelsea went on to win English Premier League with ease in the 2014-15 season. He played 36 out of 38 matches for the club.
- In July 2016, Chelsea decided to tie him with a new 4-year contract. The renewal made him one of the highest paid players at the club.
- In April 2016, he was named in the infamous Panama Papers, which implicated him in the money laundering scandal.
- In April 2018, he became the co-owner of a restaurant called Babbo. His business partners were his Chelsea teammate David Luiz and agent Joorabchian.
- Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Featured Image by Aleksandr Osipov / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
