David Silva grabbed the headlines on Wednesday. Spanish media reported in unison that his move to Hong Kong club Supreme Shatin had gone through, and the club trumpeted his arrival with no shortage of fanfare.
Supreme Shatin had rolled out the red carpet on their official Instagram account, declaring: "Our founders struck it big with this deal!" The club promised fans special perks to follow the 2010 World Cup winner, from behind-the-scenes access to exclusive training sessions.
Then came the reality check. Speaking to "Mundo Deportivo", the 40-year-old, who hung up his boots more than three years ago, set the record straight.
"I am surprised, in the end it is nothing more than a single match," Silva said. "They informed me as if I had signed a contract for a whole season, and they gave me the chance to play in the afternoon only. I was only here for one afternoon."
"It is a league match, but it remains just a match," he added. "When they offered me the matter, it seemed interesting because it is in Hong Kong, a city I love very much. I have a friend there, and I have visited it several times. It is good to take part in a single match and try to put in a good performance."
Money, he insisted, had nothing to do with it. "Some have expressed concern about the financial side for me, but in the end, I laugh, because people rush to make a decision at the slightest provocation," he continued. "But that is not the case here. Thanks to my father and my adviser, with whom I have been investing well for years, I have achieved great success."