After bursting onto the first-team scene last season, the
19-year-old da Silva twins are ready to challenge for
United's full-back spots for the forseeable future...
Can you believe how far you’ve come in the last
12 months?
Rafael: It’s been fantastic to be involved with the first
team and I think we both developed our games a lot last season. Our
first six months at the club were very difficult because we weren’t
able to play any matches [United had to wait for international
clearance on the pair’s transfer from Brazil]...
Fabio: But when pre-season started last year we
began to get the feeling that we might be involved with the first
team which was very exciting. I didn’t have as good a season as I
would have liked because of my [shoulder] injury, but this season
has gone well so far and I feel like I’m developing very
quickly.
Rafael, you played 28 games last season and picked up
league and Club World Cup winners’ medals. That must have been a
big thrill…
Rafael: It was fantastic. We were very close to winning
the Champions League, of course, as well, and even though I missed
the Carling Cup final through injury, I still feel like a champion
because I played in every other game in the competition. I hope I
can play my part in helping the team win even more trophies this
season.
Fabio, having seen your brother do so well, did you feel
any extra pressure when you made your first team debut in
January?
Fabio: I didn’t feel extra pressure, but I knew I had to
perform to my best. I was really happy that my brother
had done so well and played some great football, and I wanted to
be able to do the same. Seeing him do so well spurred me on and I
was just pleased to eventually get my chance because being injured
had been so frustrating.
Ironically, Rafael, you’ve had the same injury this
season…
Rafael: [Smiles and shakes his head] Yes, as Fabio says
it’s hard when you can’t play [because of injury]. He’s actually
been playing at right-back so it looks like we’ll be competing for
the same position when I’m fit again! [both laugh]
Fabio: Obviously we both want to play and it’s a
little strange to be competing for the same position, but it also
gives us a lot of pleasure to be challenging for a place in the
team.
Did you always want to be footballers?
Rafael: Yes, since the age of four that’s all we dreamt
of. Whenever I used to blow the candles out on my birthday cake my
wish was always to become a footballer. We loved playing the game
and, as youngsters, we were very strong runners. A guy called
Zezinho, who was a coach of a local team, saw us and thought we
both had potential.
Fabio: It was always our ambition to become as
good a player as Roberto Carlos – he was our hero. He and Cafu are
the best full-backs there have ever been. We watched a lot of
football when we younger – we supported Botafogo, but we always
used to be Manchester United whenever we played football games on
the computer.
Fabio, you’ve shown your eye for goal in the Reserves and
Rafael, few can forget your spectacular first strike for the Reds
against Arsenal…
Rafael: When the ball went in, I didn’t really
feel much because I was only interested in helping us get another
goal to draw level. I couldn’t get my head round the fact I’d just
scored against Arsenal! But afterwards a lot of people asked me
about it and although I was disappointed we’d lost the game, I was
delighted to have scored a great goal.
Fabio: I was watching the game at home on TV with
my family and we were all jumping up and down when he scored, and
my mum started crying because she was so happy. It’s always a great
feeling to score – I’ve been happy to get a few goals for the
Reserves and hopefully I can score some for the first team.
Describe each other as a player…
[Both pause
and look at each other grinning]
Fabio: I’ll go first! He’s very aggressive,
determined and he never gives up on anything. He always looks to do
his best and help the team win at all costs.
Rafael: Despite the fact he plays mainly on the
left wing, he has a good eye for goal. He’s aggressive as well and
has very good technical ability.
Finally, what are your personal ambitions for this
season?
Rafael: Just to help the team do well and play as many
games as possible.
Fabio: We’re still young and are just trying to do
the best we can. We have a great squad with some good young players
and lots of experience. The young lads are always pushing the older
ones and hopefully we’ll continue to get more chances.
