He earned the nickname “El Mago” (the magician) while a player for his skill on the field.

David Silva, a brilliant playmaker for Manchester City who is now retired, is bringing the same flair and style to his new job as a winemaker. After being forced to put an end to his playing career last month due to a severe knee injury, Silva, now 37, is concentrating all of his efforts on running a prosperous vineyard in his native Gran Canaria.

Silva’s Bodegas Tameran vineyard, which is located high in the volcanic island’s highlands and has only been operating for four years, produces highly regarded wine that is shipped all over the world. Silva’s vineyard, located 700 meters above sea level, employs seasoned winemaker Jonatan Garcia, who also runs a prosperous winery in Tenerife, to produce six different types of wine.Silva, who participates in the harvest by plucking grapes in the vineyard with family and friends, said how he first became interested in wine through Sisi, a former teammate and close friend from Valencia. “I consumed wine, but not the usual varieties. Then I began to order wines from Madrid and have them shipped to Manchester.”Then I met Jonatan, and it was like ‘Wow’ from that point on. Ever since that day, I have thought, ‘It’s fantastic to discover this wine world. Four years ago, I bought the vineyard, but I didn’t yet have the cellar. There were only vines. Next, we constructed the cellar.Silva and Garcia connected on Twitter, but Garcia was so taken aback to hear from such a legendary player that he thought it was all a joke.Garcia remarked, “He sent me a message in 2019 when he was playing for City. He complimented me on one of the wines that he was sipping. I assumed it must be a bogus account because I was so astonished! However, we spoke and that’s when our friendship developed and we started working together.”Silva had one more year left on his Real Sociedad contract when he retired due to an ACL injury in the preseason. Silva left City in 2020 after 436 appearances. Silva remarked, “I wanted to play for another year since I felt good last season. “Then I sustained the injury and realized I could no longer play. But I don’t mind. Though life is like this, everyone around me is more disappointed than I am that I can’t play.”When I first began playing, I had no idea that I would amass so many championships. The only goal was to play as well as you could.”My community, Arguineguin, is merely a little one, so I could never have imagined leaving and playing at the level I did. I’m therefore really satisfied with my professional accomplishments.“I miss competing, especially for City. My club, it. I lived there for ten years, and I have many fond memories of it.”Last season, when Real Sociedad and I played against United at Old Trafford and won 1-0, I returned to Manchester. However, I wish to return there with my family, perhaps the following year. Silva will always be grateful to Guardiola and City for their assistance after Mateo, his son, was born prematurely at just 25 weeks in December 2017. As their baby fought for his life and eventually survived after spending his first five months in the hospital, City allowed Silva to go back and forth between Valencia and London to be with his partner Yessica.He’s doing well now, Silva added. He will turn six in December and is currently five and a half. Adriana, our new daughter, just celebrated her first birthday. They occupy my time. I prefer to exercise because it is simpler.Silva will travel to San Sebastian with his family later this month now that the wine harvest is finished for the year.