Ricardo Villa facts for kids
Villa in 1981
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
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| Full name | Ricardo Julio Villa | ||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 18 August 1952 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Roque Pérez, Argentina | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||
| 1970–1974 | Quilmes | 108 | (20) | ||||||||||
| 1973 | →San Martín de Tucumán (loan) | 10 | (3) | ||||||||||
| 1974–1976 | Atlético de Tucumán | 51 | (19) | ||||||||||
| 1976–1978 | Racing Club | 52 | (6) | ||||||||||
| 1978–1983 | Tottenham Hotspur | 133 | (18) | ||||||||||
| 1983 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 19 | (3) | ||||||||||
| 1984–1985 | Deportivo Cali | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 1986–1989 | Defensa y Justicia | 93 | (4) | ||||||||||
| Total | 466 | (73) | |||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||
| 1975–1978 | Argentina | 17 | (1) | ||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Defensa y Justicia | ||||||||||||
| 2012 | Defensa y Justicia | ||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||
Ricardo Julio Villa, often called Ricky Villa, is a famous Argentine football player and coach. He was a midfielder, which is a player who helps both defend and attack. Ricky played professional football from 1970 to 1989.
Contents
Ricky Villa's Football Journey
Ricky Villa was born in Roque Pérez, Argentina, on August 18, 1952. In the 1970s, he played for several football clubs in Argentina. These included Quilmes, Atlético de Tucumán, and Racing Club.
Winning the World Cup
A big moment for Ricky was in 1978. He was part of the Argentine team that won the 1978 FIFA World Cup. He played in two games during that tournament. After the World Cup, he joined the English club Tottenham Hotspur with another Argentine player, Ossie Ardiles.
Playing for Tottenham Hotspur
When Ricky and Ossie arrived in England, fans gave them a huge welcome. Ricky scored a goal in his very first game for Tottenham against Nottingham Forest.
He scored 25 goals in 179 games for Tottenham. One of his most famous goals was the winning goal against Manchester City in the 1981 FA Cup Final replay. This goal was so amazing that it won the "Wembley goal of the century" award in 2001. He had also scored the first goal in that same final replay.
Ricky was not able to play in the 1982 FA Cup Final for Tottenham. This was because of the Falklands Conflict happening at the time.
Later Career and Life
After playing for Tottenham, Ricky continued his football career. He played in Argentina, Colombia, and the United States. He finished his playing days in the lower leagues of Argentine football with Defensa y Justicia.
Ricky also played for Argentina in the 1991 World Cup of Masters, scoring against England.
In the 1990s, he became involved in politics. Since 2005, he has worked as a technical secretary for the football club Talleres de Córdoba. He lives in Villa Carlos Paz with his wife and four children.
In 2007, FIFA announced that all players from World Cup winning teams before 1982 would receive World Cup winner medals. This included Ricky Villa for his part in the 1978 win.
On February 7, 2008, Ricky Villa and Ossie Ardiles were honored. They were added to the Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame. This is a special recognition for important players.
Achievements and Awards
Ricky Villa earned many awards and honors during his football career.
Club Honors
- Atlético Tucumán
- Torneo Regional Federación Tucumana: 1975
- Tottenham Hotspur
- FA Cup: 1980–81, 1981–82
- FA Charity Shield: 1981 (shared)
- Football League Cup runner-up: 1981–82
International Honors
- Argentina
Individual Awards
- Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Ricardo Julio Villa para niños
