Speaking to PA Sport, Thiago Silva said: "That was one of the worst experiences in my life; you have a dream as a child to be playing as a professional footballer and when I got the tuberculosis it seemed that the dream would be over.
"I remember the doctor told me that I had not been cured and that I needed an operation on my lung and that my football career would be over. But thank God, and to the specialist, little by little, I got better and got back.
"Then, little by little, with dedication I managed to play football. So I think about it a lot at these moments – what I have been through. Thankfully I had the strength to overcome it.
"Now I can say today that I am a champion not just in football, but also in life. In 2005, my life could have been over but thank goodness I overcame that illness and today I can now say I am victorious both professionally and personally."
Thiago Silva was diagnosed with TB shortly after joining Russian Premier League side Dinamo Moskva in 2005.
The Brazilian fully recovered and went on to play for Fluminense, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain before eventually ending up at Chelsea.
