As part of Chelsea's 120th anniversary celebrations, we asked supporters to vote for their favourite XI and despite not making his debut until the day after his 36th birthday, and initially only joining on a one-year contract, the Brazilian's impact over a four-year stint with the club saw him receive the nod to metaphorically line up alongside John Terry ahead of the other great centre-backs who have worn blue over the years.

They say first impressions are everything but for Thiago Silva, he joined Chelsea while the world was still in the midst of COVID lockdowns, meaning he was unable to build that close relationship with the Stamford Bridge faithful at first.

But his performances on the pitch resulted in the likeable defender quickly finding a place in our hearts and it was not long until the chants of 'Oooh, Thiago Silva' could be heard ringing around our famous old stadium and in pubs all the way down the Kings Road.

As the chant goes: 'He came from PSG, to win the Champions League' and the fact he did just that at the end of his first season at the club no doubt helped secure his legendary status among Chelsea fans. But despite climbing the mountain he had sought for so long, and of course his ever-increasing age, his performance level did not drop one jot, something not lost in the eyes of supporters.

After all, there is a general fear that fulfilling your ultimate goal can lead to a sense of anti-climax, a feeling that there are no more lands to conquer. But Thiago provides us with a living example of someone who understands there is a higher level of attainment than trophies or awards, that you can realise something even greater with a club when you develop a sense of belonging and buy into its identity.

Instead of walking off into the sunset with his Champions League winner’s medal, and then latterly one for the Club World Cup, he remained for three more years – incrementally extending his stay by a season at a time – and wrote his name into the history books.

Consequently, on May 19 2024, after his final game for the club, Thiago Silva left a Chelsea legend.

'It’s been a dream, but not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world,' he said at the time.

'It is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances but when there is a mutual love, it’s even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue.'

And his comments weren't coming from a place of sentimentality, due to his pending departure edging closer, as two years earlier he had told our programme: 'My relationship with the Chelsea supporters is hard to put into words – it was love at first sight.

'When I started here, there weren’t any fans in the stadium, but through social media it became something very special to me. Then, when the fans started coming back to the stadium and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.

'It’s not easy to come to a new club with not much time on your contract and be applauded from the beginning, shown so much love. I’m really proud and I just want Chelsea to continue to be successful.

'At one point we were all fans and we know what it feels like. As a child, all I wanted to do was play football, and then to be appreciated as you play the game, is indescribable. Feeling the love of the fans while you’re on the pitch makes me feel very proud because it seems so simple what we do.

'When you compare it with the work of a doctor, for example, who is there to save lives, and people show appreciation for what they do. Then I’m doing my job, playing football, and receiving appreciation, and it’s difficult to compare that. But I appreciate the love very much and it makes me proud, although it’s hard to describe that feeling – you have to be there in that situation to understand how it feels.'

His age at the moment of his last appearance for Chelsea is a record for the oldest first-team player in our history, which he initially set in November 2023 when he took the field at Newcastle at the age of 39 years and 64 days. That same month, against Manchester City, he had also broken the record for Chelsea’s oldest goalscorer, another he reset several times.

He continued to perform at an elite level year after year – to shine in use, not to rust unburnished – and earned every contract extension he signed in his time here. His family became part of the fabric of the club – his wife Belle was serenaded by supporters on her way to and from the games and his sons, Isago and Iago, play in our Academy.

He returned to Fluminense, the Brazilian club he left to come to Europe back in 2009, last summer but not before he had the chance to say one final goodbye to his beloved fans after our game with Bournemouth...although as the defender explained himself, 'Goodbyes are for those that leave and don’t come back, I intend on coming back one day.'

Speaking to club channels, Thiago said: ‘I’m not a superhero but in those moments the fans chant my name, I felt like one. No matter if I was tired or if I was feeling a little bit down in the game, as soon as I heard the chants I felt re-energised.

'That sensation, that emotion, I don’t really know how to explain it. It’s amazing and made me feel like I could save the team, like nothing bad was going to happen in the game.

'In this sense, Chelsea is special. That’s why even though I was here for four years, it has felt like a lifetime. Not bad for someone who was only coming for a season!’

Many of Thiago's comments above were first carried in our matchday programmes. You can buy past copies and future programmes by clicking here.