It's the year 2002 and Brazil are showing the world just why they are the most successful nation in football history. The biggest Selecao stars are shining bright including Ronaldo Nazario who is bagging goals for fun and Ronaldinho leaving defenders dumfounded with his blistering skill.
In midfield, a young and exciting prospect has started to catch the eye and earn the nickname the 'Invisible Wall'. Not much was known to European football fans about Gilberto Silva heading into the tournament given he had been playing his football at Atletico Mineiro.
Once Brazil had lifted the famous trophy to extend their record, it was clear that Gilberto was a name to take notice of. His brilliant displays at the heart of Luiz Felipe Scolari's midfield were hard to ignore.
Gilberto's Path to Invincibility
Certainly for Arsene Wenger whom used the 2002 World Cup to conduct somewhat of a scouting mission. The French tactician searched for a new disciplined holding midfielder to complement Patrick Vieira in Arsenal's midfield.
Gilberto's exploits on the world stage caught Wenger's attention and in August 2002, he brought the Brazilian to Highbury. That turned out to be one of the best decisions made by his recruitment staff.
Coming off the bench for his competitive debut, Gilberto scored the winner in Arsenal's 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Community Shield. While he might have been acknowledged as 'the Invisible Wall' his importance for the Gunners in the coming years would be on full display.
Gilberto went on to make 244 appearances for the North London outfit, winning the Premier League title in 2004. That came as part of the famous Invincibles team and his contributions in the middle of the park saw Wenger's men go unbeaten.
Wenger: Gilberto My 'Most Underrated Player'
There were many unsung heroes during Wenger's reign as Arsenal boss especially in the aftermath of Thierry Henry's departure. But for the Frenchman, Gilberto is the most underrated player he coached.
Speaking to Ian Wright for SPORTbible back in 2021, he explained why the Brazilian deserves more flowers:
"He was naturally discreet. I remember when I bought him in 2002, he was in Japan at the World Cup. I looked at him and thought, ‘he doesn’t make anything special."
Wenger added: "And then to think ‘Who won this ball?’ Gilberto Silva, ‘Who played this ball?’ Gilberto Silva. I tried to buy him, and after that."
When the Invincibles are recalled, the likes of Henry, Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp are often at the top of fans' lips. Wenger feels Gilberto deserves just as much appreciation:
"I would say, in the Invincibles, nobody speaks about Gilberto. He’s the kind of player that you see only how much you miss them when they don’t play. When they play, you find it all natural."
Gilberto spent six seasons at Arsenal before enjoying a spell in Greece with Panathinaikos and returning to Brazil with Gremio. He ended his career back at boyhood club Atlético Mineiro in 2015.
The Brazilian has since been giving back to the football community, becoming a co-founder at Striver. He played in this year's StriveAid charity match on October 3rd, captaining Team Gilberto to victory.
