# Álvaro Silva (footballer)

Alvaro Linares Silva (born March 30, 1984), known as Álvaro Silva (Spanish pronunciation:), is a former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Born in Spain, he represented the Philippines national team.
He played for clubs in Spain, Romania, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand during his senior career, notably amassing Segunda División totals of 165 matches and two goals at the service of Málaga B, Málaga, Xerez (two spells) and Cádiz.

## Club career

Silva was born in Andújar, Jaén. After one loan, he made his senior debut with Atlético Malagueño, appearing in two second division seasons and being relegated in the latter. His first contact with the first team came in 2006–07, also in the second level (33 games, one goal).
In 2008–09, Silva was loaned by Málaga for a second time, to another Andalusian side, Xerez CD, appearing relatively as they achieved a first-ever La Liga promotion. On 16 July 2009 he returned to Málaga, being immediately released and joining neighbors Cádiz CF in the second level for three years. A starter through most of the campaign, he suffered relegation this time.
Silva returned to division two and Xerez in the summer of 2011. After only one league appearance in the first half of the season, however, he moved abroad and penned a six-month contract with Liga I club FC Petrolul Ploiești.
In January 2013, Silva signed an 18-month deal with Khazar Lankaran FK of the Azerbaijan Premier League. He won his second piece of silverware on 23 October of that year, featuring against Neftchi Baku PFK in the Azerbaijan Supercup.
After his stint in Azerbaijan, Silva turned down offers from clubs in Israel, Qatar and Spain which included Marbella FC, in favor of Kuwaiti Premier League's Qadsia SC. On 30 August 2016, he left Daejeon Citizen FC and began training with Indonesian club Arema Cronus F.C. who was poised to sign him pending a successful medical, but eventually nothing came of it.
Silva joined V.League 1 side Hanoi FC on 21 December 2016, for one year.

## International career

In early 2014, Silva started work on getting his Filipino passport as his paternal grandmother was Filipino. so he would be eligible to play for the Philippines national team. By mid-June, he arrived in Manila to further process his documents.
Silva made his international debut on October 31, 2014, coming on as a substitute in a 3–0 friendly win against Nepal.

## Personal life

Silva was born to Spanish parents – his father being of Filipino descent– and traces his Filipino roots to Cavite and Iloilo. Silva belongs to a family of footballers, his younger brother Enrique, played for Malaga B, his cousin Kike Linares – who is also a Philippines international and Nacho Linares, who currently plays for the U19 team of Vázquez Cultural.

## Club statistics

    As of 19 December 2021
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Málaga B | 2004–05 | Segunda División B | 36 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 0 |
| Málaga B | 2005–06 | Segunda División B | 22 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 0 |
| Málaga B | Total | Total | 58 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 58 | 0 |
| Marbella (loan) | 2003–04 | Segunda División B | 34 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 0 |
| Málaga | 2004–05 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Málaga | 2005–06 | Segunda División | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Málaga | 2006–07 | Segunda División | 33 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 1 |
| Málaga | 2007–08 | Segunda División | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| Málaga | Total | Total | 46 | 1 | 9 | 0 | — | — | 55 | 1 |
| Xerez (loan) | 2008–09 | Segunda División | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 |
| Cádiz | 2009–10 | Segunda División | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 |
| Cádiz | 2010–11 | Segunda División B | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| Cádiz | Total | Total | 58 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 61 | 1 |
| Xerez | 2011–12 | Segunda División | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Xerez | 2012–13 | Segunda División | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 |
| Xerez | Total | Total | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 |
| Petrolul Ploiești (loan) | 2011–12 | Liga I | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| Khazar | 2012–13 | Azerbaijan Premier League | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 |
| Khazar | 2013–14 | Azerbaijan Premier League | 30 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| Khazar | Total | Total | 41 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 51 | 2 |
| Al-Qadsia | 2014–15 | Kuwaiti Premier League | | | | | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Daejeon Citizen | 2015 | K League Classic | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 |
| Daejeon Citizen | 2016 | K League Challenge | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| Daejeon Citizen | Total | Total | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 |
| Hanoi | 2017 | V.League 1 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 4 |
| Kedah | 2018 | Malaysia Super League | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| BG Pathum United | 2019 | Thai League 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| BG Pathum United | 2020 | Thai League 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| BG Pathum United | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Suphanburi (loan) | 2019 | Thai League 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 |
| Antequera | 2021–22 | Segunda División RFEF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 346 | 9 | 23 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 390 | 10 |
* ↑ Appearances in Promotion Play-offs
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in AFC Cup
* ↑ Appearances in AFC Cup and AFC Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in Malaysia Cup

## Honours

Xerez
* Segunda División: 2008–09
Khazar
* Azerbaijan Supercup: 2013
* Azerbaijan Cup runner-up: 2012–13
Al-Qadsia
* Kuwait Super Cup: 2014
* AFC Cup: 2014
BG Pathum United
* Thai League 1: 2020–21
Individual
* AFF Championship Best Eleven: 2018