It’s often said that police officers — or anyone in a profession that serves the greater good — consider their coworkers as brothers.

For two Queens-born police officers, they actually are brothers and even share the bond of playing together on the NYPD’s soccer team.

Brandon and Justin Silva grew up in Little Neck and started playing soccer early. Both went on to play at St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows. In addition to their current careers as police officers, both are assistant coaches for the Prep’s boys’ varsity soccer squad.

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Brandon, 30, graduated from St. Francis in 2014 after four years as a center midfielder. He remains the program’s all-time leader in assists and captured three total CHSAA city championships in his tenure — two on varsity and one on junior varsity.

Justin, 25, who played some Catholic Youth Organization soccer at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Bayside, played four years on varsity as the starting goalkeeper before graduating in 2019. He recorded the most shutouts in program history.

Both went on to play in college — Brandon at LIU Post and Justin at Farmingdale State University. Brandon’s career was cut short by an injury, but Justin had an impressive career run at Farmingdale, where he also set the school’s shutouts record.

Brandon and Justin both remained close to their high school program. Along with Pantelis Zioulis, they’re now assistant coaches on head coach Franco Purificato’s staff. They contribute whenever they can while balancing their busy work schedules.

Justin joined the force in January 2025 as an MTA police officer. This past June, Brandon graduated from the NYPD Police Academy and was stationed in the 113th precinct in South Jamaica.

A month before Brandon’s graduation, the academy held a fraternal day where recruits could learn about different clubs and teams. He found out about the soccer team — NYPD Finest F.C. — and met Alan Acevedo, the team captain who later became his supervisor in the 113th precinct.

Brandon started going to workouts at Flushing Meadows Park this past summer and soon started bringing Justin. Though billed as an NYPD team, law enforcement officers from multiple agencies — including the MTA — are invited to join.

Brandon and Justin immediately flashed their skills and became starters on the first team. The club also has a reserve team, given the interest in the sport across the boroughs. Practices are on Wednesday and Friday mornings, and the team plays matches on Sundays as part of the local men’s Cosmopolitan Soccer League.

Every year, NYPD Finest F.C. — organized by retired NYPD Lt. Ronald Mejia — travels to the North American Police Soccer Tournament (NAPST), which gathers police department teams throughout the U.S. and Canada. The tournament was played in Calgary this past September, and the NYPD team captured its seventh tournament championship title. Next year’s tournament heads to Dallas.

Right after they got back from that trip, the team geared up for the annual Ford Classic, which features a rivalry match between the NYPD and FDNY. The match was held on Oct. 2 at Belson Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University in Jamaica.

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With Brandon and Justin playing the entire match in their first-ever Ford Classic, the NYPD earned a 3-1 victory. In eight Ford Classics, the NYPD leads 5-3, including three straight wins.

The team now heads into its regular Sunday league play, which continues into December, picks back up in the spring, then moves into their summer league, before gearing up for the NAPST tournament and Ford Classic.

Given their five-year age difference, Brandon and Justin never played together in organized leagues growing up. This has been a unique opportunity to play the game they love and share in their brotherly bond on the pitch.

“My brother is probably the best goalie that I’ve played with,” Brandon said. “It’s always reassuring to know that I have a great goalkeeper behind me, and it’s even better to know that it’s my brother. It’s awesome to now be on the same team.”

“It’s sentimental in a way because we didn’t play together frequently growing up,” Justin added. “It’s good to be part of a team now where we’re both together, and we’re both police officers. For me, we’ve always had this special connection. We know each other so well at this point, so we form a strong dynamic duo that’s been pretty unbeatable.”

For a few hours each week, these police officers can spend time with their “brothers,” unwind from their busy schedules, and just feel like kids out there. Brandon and Justin are blessed to experience those same feelings with their actual sibling.

What a fine example these two are setting for the student-athletes they coach at the Prep.

The Silvas are showing that you can still pursue a lifelong passion while serving the city valiantly.