Biography
Who is David Villa?
Early life and youth career
David Villa was born in Tuilla, a small parish in Langreo, Asturias, in northern Spain, as the son of a miner named José Manuel Villa. When he was four years old, he suffered a fracture to the femur in his right leg, which put his chances of becoming a footballer in serious jeopardy. Following a complete recovery, he and his father worked extensively on strengthening his left leg, which ultimately made him ambidextrous on the pitch.
Later in his youth, he came close to giving up the sport at age fourteen after growing disillusioned and sitting on the bench. Thanks to continuous encouragement from his parents, he persisted and joined the Mareo football school at the age of seventeen, setting the stage for his professional path in Spanish football.
Club career breakthroughs
David Villa began his professional career with Sporting de Gijón in 2001 after progressing through their youth ranks. After scoring twenty-five goals across two seasons with the main team, he moved to Real Zaragoza in the summer of 2003 for approximately three million euros. During his first season at Zaragoza, he netted seventeen times in La Liga and scored a crucial goal in the 2004 Copa del Rey final to help defeat Real Madrid three to two.
In 2005, Valencia paid a transfer fee of twelve million euros to secure his services. During his five-season tenure at Valencia, he established himself as one of the best players in the league, winning another Copa del Rey title and scoring numerous decisive goals against top opponents.
Success at Barcelona and international play
David Villa signed for Barcelona for forty million euros in 2010. In his first season with the club, he won his first La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League, scoring in the 2011 final against Manchester United. He later transferred to Atlético Madrid, where he secured another La Liga title before playing in Major League Soccer with New York City, and eventually finishing his career with Vissel Kobe in Japan before retiring in 2020.
On the international stage, he made his debut for Spain in 2005 and played an integral role in winning UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He finished his international career with fifty-nine goals in ninety-eight matches, establishing himself as Spain's top scorer in World Cup history.
Birthday and age
David Villa was born on December 3, 1981, which makes David 44 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. David shares the date with 31 other famous people.
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