A member of FC Porto's treble-winning squad under coach André Villas-Boas in 2010/11, Silvestre Varela broke into the Portuguese national team during that campaign and scored on his first start, a friendly against Chile. He is one of several wingers available to Portugal boss Paulo Bento for UEFA EURO 2012.

• Unable to break into the Sporting Clube de Portugal first team, Silvestre Manuel Gonçalves Varela was loaned to lower-division club Casa Pia AC in 2004/05 and, in 2006/07, to Vitória FC, where he was an ever-present in the Liga for the Setubal club.

• Moved across the border to Spain in 2007/08, on another season-long loan, making 22 league appearances for RC Recreativo de Huelva, who narrowly avoided relegation.

• Left Sporting for good in July 2008, joining CF Estrela da Amadora; helped the club to the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup, where they lost to Porto, and scored five league goals.

• Amadora's enforced relegation at the end of 2008/09 led to him joining Porto, for whom he made a slow start before cutting loose with a succession of goals during the winter months, including one against Arsenal FC in the UEFA Champions League round of 16.

• Scored a career-best tally of ten Liga goals, including two in a 3-2 win in September 2010 against UEFA Europa League final opponents SC Braga, as Porto stormed to the 2011 Liga title, retaining it the following season.

UEFA honours
UEFA Europa League: winner 2011