'It's time to change from Pochettino!' - Belle Silva's five most controversial quotes

Jacque Talbot
Jacque Talbot
  • Updated: 8 Feb 2024 14:29 GMT
  • 7 min read
Belle Silva
© IMAGO

Belle Silva, the wife of Thiago Silva, has become a prominent commentator on Chelsea's on-field challenges since her husband's arrival at the club in 2020.

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Despite the initial success of clinching the Champions League title in Silva’s inaugural season, things have taken a downward spiral thereafter, the worst being the club’s 12th-place finish in the 2022-23 Premier League campaign.

Belle is no stranger to social media and has openly let loose on the app on occasion. With some 700k followers on Instagram and more than 150k on Twitter, what she posts gets picked up like wildfire.

It’s fair to say that Belle has embraced the spotlight and consistently voiced her criticisms of Chelsea, particularly when the chips are down.

Here we have gone through some of the most brazen things that Belle has said.

Calling for Mauricio Pochettino to be sacked

Just this week, Silva has issued an apology after calling for Chelsea to sack Mauricio Pochettino on Sunday.

After the club were defeated 4-2 by Wolves at Stamford Bridge, she wrote on social media: “It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late..”

The head coach confirmed on Tuesday that he had spoken to Thiago about the incident but insisted that the details of their conversation are ‘private’.

Belle issued an apology soon after, writing: “I’m sorry that my personal outburst as a passionate Chelsea fan has caused such an impact. I’m passionate about the team, I thrive on victories and I’m saddened by defeats.We all want the same thing, a winning team, come on Chelsea!!”

Liking a tweet that disparaged Graham Potter

Indeed, Belle has a track record of openly criticising Chelsea managers, not only through her public statements but also by endorsing tweets that disparage them. One notable instance was her liking a tweet that took aim at then-manager Graham Potter.

In response to a tweet from the account @Mudryk254, asking, "Can you ask [Thiago] Silva to coach our club himself because we have a deadbeat tacticless coach who doesn't know what he is doing. He doesn't even understand that this is Chelsea football club - he thinks he is still at Brighton," Belle liked this tweet in February 2023.

It wasn’t too long after that Potter was dismissed from his managerial position following a poor run of form.

When she called Timo Werner a ‘maggot’

Timo Werner faced considerable challenges during his tenure at Chelsea. After the club’s 2021 Champions League victory, the German striker was eventually shipped back to RB Leipzig in 2022, before joining Tottenham last month during the January transfer window.

But before he left, Werner faced the full force of Belle Silva. With just four Premier League goals in his second and last season at Chelsea, reports suggested that Belle called him a "verme," the Portuguese term for "maggot."

When Belle took aim at the rest of the Chelsea squad

As we have learned by now, Belle readily voices her criticisms of Chelsea, Thiago's teammates, and the coaching staff.,

In January 2023, following Chelsea's 2-1 loss to Fulham, Belle posted on social media: "If there was a @tsilva3 in attack and one in midfield, with what we already have in defence..."

And after Chelsea's draw against Everton in March 2023, she tweeted: "Missing @tsilva3 on the field… #goblues #chelsea.”

On the day of Chelsea’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham in August 2022, featuring the infamous handshake between Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte, Belle took to Twitter, saying: “Today I went to Stamford Bridge and I noticed that the photos changed around the stadium. But I don't see a photo of @tsilva3 anywhere. Why @ChelseaFC?”

When Belle took aim at a commentator

And Chelsea’s 4-1 loss to Brentford in 2021-22, Belle shared on Instagram: “I'm here in my box at Stamford Bridge. I just listened right now to the commentator, who said that Thiago Silva is not attacking enough. Respect Thiago Silva because Thiago Silva arrived yesterday, Thiago Silva played for Brazil, Thiago Silva is very tired, Thiago Silva is 37 years old, he plays like he is 20 years old. So respect him, he's not a machine. He needs to relax, alright?"

When did Thiago and Belle Silva get married?

Belle Silva enjoyed Chelsea's Champions League win
© IMAGO - Belle Silva enjoyed Chelsea's Champions League win

Thiago and Belle Silva tied the knot in 2005 after reportedly starting their relationship in the early 2000s. At the time of their marriage, Thiago was 20 years old, while Belle was 18.

The couple shares two sons, Isago and Iago.

Isago, born in 2008, is actively involved in Chelsea’s youth academy. Iago, born in 2011, completes their family.

Read more about: Premier League, Chelsea

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