David Villa received this week the platinum and diamond badge from the Spanish Footballers Association at NYCFC's New York facility. Luis Rubiales, President of the Spanish Footballers Association (AFE in Spanish) was in charge of delivering the badge to Villa, who received the highest award granted by the association.
David Villa is a World Champion and currently plays as New York City FC forward. He served as vice chairman of Luis Rubiales’ board since 2011 for six and a half years. The international star with 59 goals and 97 games with La Roja (Spain’s National Football Team) has become an icon for his dedication and commitment to the team during these years.
After two successful seasons as a New York City FC striker, Villa has recently been named the best player in MLS last June.
The Spanish Footballers Association, an association that serves the collective of footballers that promotes their union, ensures the normal development of their sports career and subsequent promotion, defending and guaranteeing their rights in their job, earnings, education and socially both in the present and in the future, passing along sports values to its members and society. AFE is participating in several events in New York in the coming days as part of its expansion in the United States market. Visit www.afe-futbol.com or @afefutbol for more information.
About David Villa:
David Villa Sánchez , born December 3, 1981, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker and is the captain for New York City FC. He is nicknamed El Guaje (“The Kid” in Asturian) because as a youngster he frequently played football with children much older than him.
Despite sustaining a serious injury as a child, Villa started his professional career with Sporting de Gijón. He moved to Real Zaragoza after two seasons, where he made his La Liga debut, winning the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España. He joined Valencia CF in 2005 for a transfer fee of €12 million and was part of the Valencia team that won the Copa del Rey in the 2007–08 season.
Villa hit his La Liga goal-scoring peak while at Valencia, with 28 league goals in the 2008–09 season. In 2010, he moved to FC Barcelona for €40 million, where he won his first La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles. He was one of the goal scorers in the 2011 final of the Champions League as Barcelona defeated Manchester United, 3–1. After a €5.1 million transfer, he spent the 2013–14 season at Atlético Madrid, winning another La Liga title before leaving to play for New York City.
Villa made his international debut for Spain in 2005. He has since participated in four major tournaments, becoming an integral member of the Spain teams that won UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
He scored three goals at the 2006 World Cup, was the top scorer at Euro 2008 and earned the Silver Boot at the 2010 World Cup. He is the first Spanish player to ever reach 50 international goals and retired from internationals after the 2014 World Cup with 59 in 97 matches, making him Spain's all-time top goal scorer as well as the country's top scorer in the World Cup, with nine goals.
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