David Silva reaches milestone with Spain

S pain’s 1-0 win over the Czech Republic on Monday meant more than just three precious points for David Silva, as the player joined the exclusive bunch of players to reach a century of caps for La Roja.

The 30-year-old from Gran Canaria now joins an illustrious set of Spanish players, including the likes of Iker Casillas, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Raul.

He received a souvenir for achieving the milestone, as he proudly accepted a Spain shirt with ‘Silva 100′ on the back, and he also shared his delight with supporters on social media.

“First game of the Euros, winning start and 100 caps – what more could I ask for? Thank you for all the kind messages! Viva Espana!” said Silva on his official Twitter account.

The Manchester City midfielder made his debut for La Seleccion in November 2006 against Romania, and has enjoyed a glorious decade representing his country.

He was a crucial component of the side which emerged victorious at Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, scoring in the 3-0 semi-final win against Russia.

While his contribution at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was less significant, Silva will still remember that tournament with great fondness, with Spain becoming world champions for the first time in their history.

Spain’s third consecutive major tournament win came at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, with Silva being named in UEFA’s official team of the tournament.

The diminutive Canarian scored his most important goal for his country with a rare header to put his side ahead in the 4-0 thrashing of Italy in the final.