David Villa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
David Villa

Villa with Spain at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
Personal information
Full name	David Villa Sánchez
Date of birth	(1981-12-03) 3 December 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth	Langreo, Spain
Height	1.75 m
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
1991–1999	Langreo
1999–2000	Sporting Gijón
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–2001	Sporting Gijón B	36	(14)
2001–2003	Sporting Gijón	80	(38)
2003–2005	Real Zaragoza	73	(32)
2005–2010	Valencia	166	(108)
2010–2013	Barcelona	77	(33)
2013–2014	Atlético Madrid	36	(13)
2014–2018	New York City FC	117	(77)
2014	→ Melbourne City (loan)	4	(2)
2019–2020	Vissel Kobe	28	(13)
Total		617	(330)
National team
2001–2002	Asturias	2	(1)
2002–2003	Spain U21	7	(0)
2005–2017	Spain	98	(59)
Honours Men's Football Representing  Spain FIFA World Cup Winner 2010 South Africa UEFA European Championship Winner 2008 Austria–Switzerland FIFA Confederations Cup Runner-up 2013 Brazil Third 2009 South Africa
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

David Villa Sánchez (born 3 December 1981) is a Spanish former professional footballer. He played as a striker. Many people think he is one of the best strikers of his time. Villa is the top goalscorer for the Spain national team. After retiring from playing, he became the vice-president of a Spanish football club, CF Benidorm.

He is nicknamed El Guaje, which means The Kid in the Asturian language. He got this name because he often played football with older kids. When he was four, Villa had a serious leg injury. But he worked hard to recover. He started his professional career with Sporting de Gijón in 2001.

After two seasons, he moved to Real Zaragoza. There, he played his first game in La Liga, Spain's top league. He helped Zaragoza win the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España. In 2005, he joined Valencia and won another Copa del Rey title.

Villa became one of La Liga's best players at Valencia. In 2010, he signed with Barcelona. In his first year, he won his first La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League. He even scored in the 2011 Champions League final. In 2013, he moved to Atlético Madrid. He won another La Liga title there and reached the 2014 UEFA Champions League final.

After one season in Spain, Villa joined New York City in the MLS. He became their top goalscorer. In 2016, he won the Landon Donovan MVP Award for the league's best player. In 2018, Villa left New York to play for Vissel Kobe in Japan. He retired from football in 2020.

Villa first played for Spain in 2005. He played in four big tournaments. He was a key player when Spain won UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He scored three goals at the 2006 World Cup. He was the top scorer at Euro 2008. He also won the Silver Boot at the 2010 World Cup.

His great performances led to him being named in the FIFPro World XI and UEFA Team of the Year in 2010. He scored at the 2014 World Cup. This made him Spain's top scorer in World Cup history with nine goals. He was the first Spanish player to score 50 international goals. He retired from the national team with 59 goals in 98 matches.

Early Life and Football Dreams

David Villa was born in Tuilla, a small town in Asturias, northern Spain. His father, José Manuel Villa, was a miner. When David was four, he broke his right leg. This injury made it seem like he might not become a footballer. But he fully recovered. Because of the injury, he and his father worked hard to make his left leg strong. This helped Villa become good with both feet. He remembers his father always supporting him. "He would be there throwing me the ball over and over," Villa said. "Making me kick it with my left leg when my right was in plaster."

When he was 14, Villa almost quit football. He felt disappointed and argued with his coach. But his parents encouraged him to keep going. He realized his talent could help him make a living. "I was a nobody, not earning a penny," he said. "But my dad always supported me." He started his football journey at UP Langreo. At 17, he joined the Mareo football school.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Sporting Gijón

Many teams from Asturias were interested in Villa. But Real Oviedo thought he was too short. They didn't believe he had enough potential. However, he got his chance at his local club, Sporting de Gijón. He followed in the footsteps of his childhood hero, Quini. Villa started in the team's youth teams. He made his first-team debut in the 2000–01 season. He scored 25 goals in two seasons. This made him a regular player for the first team.

Success with Real Zaragoza

After scoring nearly 40 goals for Sporting, Villa moved to Spain's top league. Real Zaragoza signed him for about €3 million in 2003. Villa quickly adapted to the higher level. He scored 17 goals in his first season. His first league game for Zaragoza was a 1–0 loss to Deportivo de La Coruña. His first goal came two games later against Real Murcia.

Winning the Copa del Rey

On 4 December 2003, he scored two goals in a 2–2 draw against Athletic Bilbao. On 25 April 2004, he scored his first hat-trick against Sevilla. Villa scored all four of Zaragoza's goals in a 4–4 draw. Zaragoza reached the 2004 Copa del Rey final. He scored a key goal to put his team 2–1 up against Real Madrid. Zaragoza won the match 3–2.

Soon after, he was called up to play for the Spanish national team. Zaragoza fans were very proud. They created a chant: "illa illa illa, Villa maravilla". Maravilla means "marvel" or "wonderful" in Spanish.

Playing in Europe

After winning the Copa del Rey, Zaragoza played in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup. This was Villa's first time in a European competition. In their first group game, he scored two goals against Utrecht. Zaragoza won 2–0. In the round of 16, Zaragoza faced Austria Wien. Villa scored in the second leg, but Austria Wien won on the away goals rule. In La Liga, Villa scored against Barcelona at the Camp Nou.

Moving to Valencia

After his success at Zaragoza, Villa made a big move to Valencia in 2005. Valencia paid €12 million for him. In his first game for Valencia, an Intertoto Cup match, Villa scored. Valencia won 2–0 against Gent. He made his league debut as a substitute against Real Betis. In the next match, he scored an equalizer against his old team, Zaragoza, in a 2–2 draw.

First Season Success

On 21 September, Villa scored two goals against Barcelona at Camp Nou. He even scored when Víctor Valdés' clearance hit his back and went into the net. On 23 October, Villa scored the winning goal against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. He scored against Barcelona again on 12 February 2006. His goal secured a 1–0 victory.

On 4 February 2006, Villa scored a "superb" goal against Deportivo La Coruña. He hit the ball from 50 yards out, and it sailed over the goalkeeper's head. Villa scored his first hat-trick for Valencia against Athletic Bilbao on 23 April 2006. He scored all three goals in just over five minutes. Valencia won that game 3–0. That season, he scored 25 goals in 35 league matches. He was just one goal behind the league's top scorer, Samuel Eto'o.

Champions League Debut

Villa continued his great form into the 2006–07 season. He played alongside Fernando Morientes. Together, they scored 43 goals. Villa also played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. He scored in a 3–0 win against Red Bull Salzburg. This helped Valencia qualify for the group stages. He scored important goals against Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk. Valencia reached the quarter-finals, but lost to Chelsea.

In October 2006, he was nominated for the Ballon d'Or award. He scored 16 goals that season. He also made more assists than anyone else.

Winning Another Copa del Rey

The 2007–08 season was tough for Valencia. Their manager was fired. But Villa scored 18 goals in 26 games. He also won his first trophy with Valencia, the 2007–08 Copa del Rey. They beat Barcelona 3–2 in the semi-finals. Then they defeated Getafe 3–1 in the final. This secured their spot in the UEFA Cup. He signed a new contract with Valencia until 2014.

On his 100th league game for Valencia, Villa scored a hat-trick against Levante. He scored two more goals on the last day of the season against Atlético Madrid. This brought his total to 18 goals that season.

Top Scorer in Spain

After being the top scorer at UEFA Euro 2008, Villa continued his form into the 2008–09 season. He scored the first goal in a 3–0 win against Mallorca. In October 2008, Kaká said Villa was "the best Spanish footballer." On 2 December 2008, Villa finished seventh in the 2008 Ballon d'Or rankings.

Villa scored two goals in a match against Getafe, which Valencia won 4–1. On 12 April, Villa returned to El Molinón, where he started his career. He scored Valencia's second goal in a 3–2 win. He kept a promise not to celebrate the goal against his old club. His goal against Villarreal brought his tally to 26. He then scored two more against Athletic Bilbao. He finished with 28 goals, matching records set by Mario Kempes and Predrag Mijatović. Villa reached 28 goals in 33 games, a very impressive ratio. This was his best goal-scoring season at Valencia.

By the end of the season, Villa had scored 101 goals in 180 official games for Valencia. Only Samuel Eto'o had scored more goals in Spain during that time. Villa finished as the third top scorer in La Liga with 28 goals.

Final Season at Valencia

After the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup with Spain, there were many rumors about Villa leaving Valencia. But he said he wanted to stay and finish his contract. "I could not spend all summer refuting things," he said. "All that I have achieved is because of Valencia and the Spanish national team."

On 20 August 2009, Villa scored in his first official match of the season. It was a 3–0 Europa League qualifier against Stabæk. He then scored two goals against Real Valladolid on 13 September. A week later, he scored two more against his former club, Sporting Gijón.

In 2009, Villa scored more goals than any other footballer. He had 43 goals in 54 games for both Spain and Valencia. On 18 October, Villa was nominated for the Ballon d'Or. On 17 January 2010, he scored two goals against Villarreal. His first goal was his 100th league goal for Valencia. On 18 March, Villa scored a hat-trick against Werder Bremen in the Europa League. The match ended 4–4, and Valencia moved on. On 4 May 2010, Villa played his last game for Valencia against Xerez.

Joining FC Barcelona

On 19 May 2010, Barcelona agreed to buy Villa from Valencia for €40 million. Villa signed a four-year contract. He followed his heroes Luis Enrique and Quini, who also played for Sporting Gijón and Barcelona. On 21 May 2010, over 35,000 Barcelona fans came to see Villa's presentation. He was given his favorite number 7 jersey.

He played his first game for Barcelona in the 2010 Supercopa de España. He came on as a substitute and won his first trophy with Barcelona. His first goal for the club came in a friendly match against Milan. On 29 August 2010, Villa made his La Liga debut for Barcelona. He scored the third goal in a 3–0 win against Racing de Santander. On 14 September 2010, he scored in his Champions League debut. Barcelona won 5–1 against Panathinaikos.

On 31 October 2010, Barcelona won 5–0 against Sevilla, with Villa scoring two goals. Villa's first El Clásico against Real Madrid was on 29 November 2010. He scored two goals as Barcelona won 5–0. He then scored against Real Sociedad in a 5–0 win. He followed with two goals against Espanyol, helping Barcelona to a 5–1 win. On 28 May 2011, Villa scored a beautiful third goal in Barcelona's 3–1 victory over Manchester United in the Champions League final.

Injury and Recovery

Villa started the 2011–12 season with goals in friendly matches. His first official match was against Real Madrid in the 2011 Supercopa de España. Villa scored a great goal in a 2–2 draw. On 17 August 2011, Villa was sent off after an argument with Mesut Özil.

On 17 September 2011, Villa scored two goals against Osasuna. Barcelona won 8–0. Later, he broke his tibia (shin bone) in a Club World Cup match. Doctors said he would be out for up to six months. This meant he missed the rest of the 2011–12 season and Euro 2012.

After eight months, Villa returned from his injury on 11 August 2012. He played in Barcelona's 2–0 win over Dinamo Bucharest. Eight days later, he played his first competitive match since his injury. He received a standing ovation when he came on as a substitute. Villa scored seven minutes later, helping Barcelona to a 5–1 win. On 28 November, Villa scored two goals against Deportivo Alavés. One of these was his 300th career goal.

In the Champions League, Villa scored a key goal against A.C. Milan. Barcelona won 4–0, overturning a two-goal deficit. In the next round, Villa assisted a goal against Paris Saint-Germain. Barcelona reached the semi-final, but lost to Bayern Munich. Villa often came on as a substitute that season because he was still recovering. Despite this, he scored 16 goals in 39 games. His performances earned him a spot in Spain's 2013 Confederations Cup squad.

Short Spell at Atlético Madrid

On 8 July 2013, Barcelona announced that Villa would transfer to Atlético Madrid. On 21 August 2013, he scored in the 2013 Supercopa de España first leg. It was his debut for Atlético against his former club, Barcelona.

Villa scored his first league goal on 1 September. He also assisted Koke in Atlético's 2–1 win against Real Sociedad. On 27 October, he scored two goals against Real Betis. Atlético won 5–0. He scored two more sets of two goals later in the season. He finished his only season at the club with 13 league goals in 36 games. He helped Atlético win their first league title since 1996. He also helped them reach the 2014 Champions League final, where they lost to Real Madrid.

Adventures in New York and Australia

On 1 June 2014, Villa announced he would leave Atlético. He called his next club "an irresistible project." The next day, he was announced as the first player for the new New York City team. They would start playing in the Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2015. He was given the number 7 shirt. He said he wanted to help the MLS grow.

Loan to Melbourne City

Before joining New York City, Villa went on loan to Melbourne City in Australia. This was to keep him fit before the MLS season started. He could play up to ten games. He joined Melbourne City's pre-season training. In his first game against Sydney FC, he came on as a substitute and scored a debut goal. In his second match, he scored an equalizer against the Newcastle Jets.

New York City called Villa back after just four games. Melbourne City did not win any of those matches. But Villa was credited with bringing more people to the club's games.

Becoming a Star in New York

Villa was named New York City's first team captain on 1 February 2015. Nine days later, he scored the team's first ever goal in a friendly match. On 8 March, he started in the team's first MLS game. He set up the first goal and helped his team get a 1–1 draw. A week later, he scored the first goal in their first home win. On 12 July, Villa scored twice against Toronto. He was chosen for the 2015 MLS All-Star Game on 29 July. He scored the winning goal as the MLS All-Stars beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–1. Villa scored 18 goals in the 2015 MLS regular season.

In July 2016, Villa was again chosen for the 2016 MLS All-Star Game. He won the Landon Donovan MVP Award for the best player in the league. He scored 23 goals in the 2016 Major League Soccer season. Villa started against Real Madrid in the 2017 MLS All-Star Game. The game ended 1–1, and Real won on penalties. On 6 August, Villa scored his first MLS hat-trick against the New York Red Bulls. He finished the regular season with 22 goals.

On 29 April 2018, Villa scored two goals in a 3–1 win over Dallas. These were his 400th and 401st goals for club and country. This made him one of the few modern players to score over 400 career goals.

Final Stop in Japan

On 1 December 2018, Villa signed with J1 League club Vissel Kobe in Japan. He joined his former Barcelona and Spain teammate Andrés Iniesta. On 2 March, Villa scored his first goal in the J1 League in a 1–0 win. On 13 November 2019, Villa announced he would retire at the end of the 2019 J1 League season. On 7 December, he scored his final career goal from a penalty. On 1 January 2020, Villa played in the 2019 Emperor's Cup Final. Vissel Kobe won the match, giving him his first trophy in Japan before retiring. Villa scored 13 goals in 28 J1 League matches.

Life After Playing Football

On 13 November 2019, Villa announced that he would become an owner of USL Championship team Queensboro FC. This club is based in Queens, New York City, United States. The team is set to start playing in 2023.

On 6 May 2021, Indian Super League club Odisha FC announced Villa as the head of Global Football Operations. He also became a member of their technical committee. His role includes advising coaches and helping young players. Villa said he would bring his experience to the club.

International Career with Spain

2006 World Cup Debut

Villa played for the Under-21 team sometimes. He made his first international appearance for the senior team on 9 February 2005. It was a 2006 World Cup qualifier where Spain beat San Marino 5–0. His first international goal was a late equalizer against Slovakia on 16 November.

Because of his good season with Valencia, he was chosen for Spain's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In Spain's first match, Villa scored two goals in a 4–0 win against Ukraine. He also scored to put Spain 1–0 up against France in the Round of 16. Spain lost that match 3–1. Villa and Fernando Torres were Spain's top scorers with three goals each.

Euro 2008 Champion

By the end of 2006, Villa was a key player for Spain. He scored six goals in Spain's qualification for UEFA Euro 2008. This included a bicycle kick goal against Liechtenstein. He was called up for the tournament. He formed a strong partnership with Torres. He scored a hat-trick in Spain's 4–1 win over Russia. This made him the first player to score a hat-trick at a UEFA European Championship since 2000. In the next match, he scored a goal in the 92nd minute to win 2–1 against Sweden.

Spain reached their first semi-final in 24 years. They faced Russia again. Villa got a thigh injury early in the match and had to leave. This injury meant he could not play in the final. Spain beat Germany 1–0 to win their second European Championship. Even though he missed the final, Villa's four goals were enough for him to be the top scorer. He won the Golden Boot. He was also named in the UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament.

2009 Confederations Cup

Spain's first match for 2010 World Cup qualification was against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Villa scored the only goal. He scored four more goals in Spain's next three games. This included a last-minute winner against Belgium. He ended the year with 12 goals. This broke Raúl's record of 10 goals from 1999.

Villa started 2009 with a goal against England in a 2–0 friendly. With this goal, he became the first Spanish player to score in six games in a row. He broke records set by Telmo Zarra and László Kubala.

On 1 June 2009, Villa was named in Spain's squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Before the tournament, he scored his second international hat-trick against Azerbaijan. He scored in his Confederations Cup debut against New Zealand. In the next game, he scored the winning goal against Iraq. Against South Africa, he missed a penalty but quickly scored to put Spain ahead. This goal was his last of the tournament. He won the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze Shoe. He was also named in the team of the tournament.

Villa played his 50th international game against the Republic of Macedonia. Spain won 3–2.

2010 World Cup Champion

On 5 September 2009, Villa scored two more goals for Spain. He also assisted two goals against Belgium. Spain won 5–0. Villa finished the year with two goals against Austria. This matched his record of most goals scored in one year by a Spanish player. Spain's first match in 2010 was against France. Villa scored the first goal in a 2–0 win.

In 2010, Villa was ranked first in the world for international goals. He was chosen for Spain's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In a friendly against Saudi Arabia, Villa scored the first goal in a 3–2 win. He then scored the opening goal in Spain's 6–0 win over Poland.

In Spain's first 2010 World Cup match, they lost to Switzerland. Five days later, Spain beat Honduras 2–0. Villa scored both goals. He missed a penalty that would have completed a hat-trick. Villa helped Spain get to the round of 16. He scored the first goal in a 2–1 win over Chile. He scored a long-range shot into an empty net. This goal made him Spain's all-time top scorer in World Cup finals with six goals.

Spain played against Portugal in the round of 16. Villa scored the only goal, helping Spain win 1–0. In the quarter-finals against Paraguay, Villa scored from a rebound. Spain won 1–0. Spain then beat Germany 1–0 in the semi-finals.

Villa started in the final against the Netherlands. He had chances to score. Spain won the championship 1–0 with Andrés Iniesta's goal. Villa scored five of Spain's eight goals in the World Cup. He was directly involved in 75% of the team's goals. He was awarded the Silver Shoe. He was also named in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team.

Euro 2012 Qualifiers and Injury

Spain's first match for UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying was against Liechtenstein. Villa scored the second goal in a 4–0 win. On 12 October 2010, he equaled Raúl's record of 44 goals. He scored a penalty against Scotland in a 3–2 win.

On 25 March 2011, Villa scored two goals against the Czech Republic. Spain won 2–1. This made him Spain's all-time leading goalscorer, passing Raúl. He said the goals were for all his teammates and coaches. On 7 September 2011, Villa scored two goals against Liechtenstein. This helped Spain qualify for UEFA Euro 2012. In Spain's last qualifying match, Villa scored his 50th international goal against Scotland. He also wore the captain's armband for the first time.

Villa was the top scorer in his qualifying group with seven goals. However, he broke his tibia in December 2011. He was left out of Spain's squad for Euro 2012. He tweeted, "I've tried, but I can't be 100% to play the Eurocup."

2013 Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup

After Spain won Euro 2012, Villa recovered from his injury. He was called back to the Spain team. He returned in a friendly against Saudi Arabia and scored ten minutes later.

On 3 June 2013, Villa was included in Spain's squad for the 2013 Confederations Cup. He scored three goals against Tahiti in a 10–0 victory.

Villa was named in Spain's squad for the 2014 World Cup. Before the World Cup, he said he would retire from international football after the tournament. Spain was already out of the tournament. Villa started in Spain's final group match against Australia. He scored his 59th goal for Spain, and ninth in World Cup finals. Spain won 3–0 on 23 June 2014. This was his last international game.

In December 2015, Villa said he might return to international football.

2018 World Cup Qualifying Return

On 25 August 2017, Villa was included in Spain's squad for 2018 World Cup qualification matches. This was three years after he first retired. His final game for Spain was against Italy. He came on as a late substitute. He missed the match against Liechtenstein due to an injury.

Spain's Number 7 Jersey

The Spanish media often compared Villa to Raúl. Villa was sometimes accused of taking the number 7 jersey from Raúl. In March 2009, Villa said, "I have not taken anything away from anybody." He explained he was playing well, and the coach gave him a chance. "Too much has been said about the number issue," he added. He said he and Raúl always got along well.

In February 2010, there were rumors that Raúl didn't want Villa to move to Real Madrid. Villa said, "It is impossible that a player with as much class as Raúl would speak poorly of me." He always had a good relationship with Raúl. Villa admired Raúl's record as Spain's top scorer. On 25 March 2011, Villa passed Raúl to become Spain's all-time top scorer.

Playing Style

David Villa is known as a great goalscorer. Many experts consider him one of the best forwards of his time. He is also one of the best Spanish strikers ever. Villa is naturally right-footed. But he can shoot accurately and powerfully with both feet. This is because he trained his left leg after his childhood injury. He was also good at free kicks and penalty kicks.

Villa was a fast, agile, and mobile player. He had excellent technique and dribbling skills. He was known for his hard work and smart movement. He could create space for teammates or make attacking runs. He also had good vision and passing ability. This allowed him to play in different positions. He could be a supporting forward, an attacking midfielder, or a winger. But his most common role was as a centre-forward.

Personal Life

In 2003, Villa married his childhood sweetheart, Patricia González. She had also played football when she was a teenager. They have three children. The names of his children are on his personalized football boots. One boot has the Spanish flag. The other has the flag of Asturias. His football idols are Luis Enrique and Quini. Both are from Asturias and played for Sporting Gijón and Barcelona.

Villa often helps with charity events. He works with the UNICEF charity. Since 2008, a "David Villa Camp" is held every year. Children get training from professional footballers there. Villa also joins a training session with the kids.

Villa is in the EA Sports' FIFA video game series. He was on the cover of the Spanish edition of FIFA 07. He also appeared on the cover of the MLS edition of FIFA 16.

In 2010, Villa sang with Spanish singer Ana Torroja on the song "Insurrection." This was for a project to raise money for an art and education school in Mali. Villa said footballers should help people in need.

Business Ventures

David Villa owns DV7 Group. This group has companies like DV7 Soccer and DV7 Management. DV7 Soccer started in 2016. It manages many football academies around the world. These academies are in countries like the United States, Puerto Rico, Spain, Japan, and the Dominican Republic.

Honours

Zaragoza

• Copa del Rey: 2003–04
• Supercopa de España: 2004

Valencia

• Copa del Rey: 2007–08

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2010–11, 2012–13
• Copa del Rey: 2011–12
• Supercopa de España: 2010, 2011
• UEFA Champions League: 2010–11
• UEFA Super Cup: 2011
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2011

Atlético Madrid

• La Liga: 2013–14

Vissel Kobe

• Emperor's Cup: 2019

Spain

• FIFA World Cup: 2010
• UEFA European Championship: 2008

Individual Awards

• FIFA FIFPro World11: 2010
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2010
• 2010 FIFA World Cup Silver Shoe
• 2010 FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball
• 2010 FIFA World Cup Dream Team
• 2010 FIFA World Cup Man of the Match: Spain vs Honduras
• UEFA Euro 2008 Golden Boot
• UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament
• UEFA Euro 2008 Man of the Match: Spain vs Russia, Spain vs Sweden
• 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze Shoe
• 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Team of the Tournament.
• Spanish Player of the Year: 2005–06
• Zarra Trophy: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10
• USSA Male Athlete of the Year: 2010
• MLS MVP Award: 2016
• Best MLS Player ESPY Award: 2017
• MLS Best XI: 2016, 2017
• MLS All-Star: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
• Ride of Fame: September 2015
• NYCFC Most Valuable Player: 2015, 2016, 2017
• NYCFC Goal of the Year: 2015
• NYCFC Offensive Player of the Year: 2016
• MLS Player of the Month: June 2017
• MLS Player of the Week 2015: Week 2, Week 15
• NYCFC Etihad Airways Player of the Month: July 2015, April 2016, September 2016, November 2017
• J1 League Goal of the Year: 2019

Achievements and Records

• Valencia Top Scorer: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
• La Liga's Top Assisting Player: 2006–07
• Spain all-time top scorer: 59 goals
• Spain's all-time top scorer in FIFA World Cup matches: 9 goals
• New York City FC all-time top scorer: 80 goals
• Most goals scored in one World Cup (by a Spanish international): 5 in 2010
• Most goals scored in one calendar year (by a Spanish international): 12 (2008, 2009)
• Longest streak of games having scored (by a Spanish international): 6

Images for kids

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  Villa with Spain at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup

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  Villa at the Ciutat Esportiva de Paterna in 2005

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  Villa after scoring a penalty against Sevilla in 2007

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  Villa during his presentation as a Barcelona player on 21 May 2010

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  Villa challenging Sergio Ramos for the ball after scoring two goals in Barcelona's 5–0 victory over Real Madrid

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  Villa's season comes to an end as he is carried off on a stretcher after breaking his tibia at the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup.

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  Villa playing for Atlético in 2013

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  Villa with New York City in May 2015

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  Villa (number 7) with the Spain team before a match against Austria

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  Villa celebrating his goal against Portugal along with teammates Fernando Llorente and Andrés Iniesta

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  Villa and other Spanish players after losing the Confederations Cup final to Brazil

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  Villa succeeded Raúl as the number 7 for the Spanish national team

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  Villa pledging support for official recognition of the Asturian language in 2009

See also

In Spanish: David Villa para niños