Benfica midfielder Fredrik Aursnes has named former teammate Rafa Silva as his favorite player in the club’s history, a noteworthy endorsement as speculation continues about Silva’s potential return to the Portuguese giants.
Aursnes gave the unexpected response without hesitation during a quick-fire interview segment known as “Sob pressão” (Under Pressure) for the sports betting company Betano. When asked to pick his preferred player from Benfica’s past, the Norwegian midfielder immediately stated, “Rafa Silva.”
The two players were teammates at Benfica during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons. Aursnes’s comment comes as reports circulate that Silva, currently playing for Besiktas, might seek to terminate his contract there, potentially paving the way for a return to Lisbon.
Aursnes under pressure! ?? Did he do well??? Full interview on the Betano blog and YouTube. pic.twitter.com/xtAsxDjHyQ
— Betano Portugal ?? (@Betano_PT) December 3, 2025
In other parts of the interview, Aursnes identified Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri as the best player he has ever faced. He also named retired Spanish midfielder Cesc Fàbregas as his football idol.
Beyond the sport, Aursnes revealed a fandom for the television series “Game of Thrones.” He also said that if he had not become a footballer, he would have pursued a career as a chef. His hidden talent, he claimed, is being “quite good at golf.”
Aursnes shared that his favorite Portuguese word is “obrigado,” meaning “thank you.” He also mentioned that the food was the most surprising aspect of Portugal for him. For pre-match music, the midfielder listens to “Live is life” by the Austrian band Opus, noting its association with Diego Maradona’s warm-ups.