About Mauro Silva
Mauro da Silva Gomes (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈmawɾu ˈsiwvɐ]; born 12 January 1968), known as Mauro Silva, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Regarded as one of the foremost players in his position during the 1990s, he was known for his stamina, physical strength, tackling, positional awareness and leadership, as well as his ability to regain possession and provide balance for more attack-minded teammates. Silva spent the majority of his career with Deportivo, joining the Spanish club in 1992 and becoming a central figure in the side commonly known as Super Dépor. During his 13 seasons in La Liga, he helped establish Deportivo among the leading clubs in Spanish football, making 458 competitive appearances and scoring one goal. He won six major honours with the club, including the 1999–2000 La Liga title, and retired there in 2005. At international level, Silva earned 59 caps for the Brazil national team. He formed a strong defensive midfield partnership with Dunga during Brazil's victorious 1994 FIFA World Cup campaign, providing the tactical balance behind the team's more creative attacking players. He also appeared in two editions of the Copa América, winning the tournament in 1997. Subsequently, he was acquired by Spain's Deportivo de La Coruña, for 250 million pesetas (approximately €1.6 million), arriving at the same time as countryman Bebeto.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.