With a footballer's career soon bidding farewell to another legend - 37-year-old David Villa announced that he will hang up his football boots next month.
One of the greatest Spanish strikers of all time will spend his last career years in Japan. The Spaniard, who has been playing for the "Vissel Kobe" club since the beginning of this year, will officially end the season in December.
"After 19 years as a professional, I have decided to end my career after this season," wrote D. Villa on social media. "I want to thank all my teams, coaches, and players who helped me fulfill my dream. I also thank my family, who has always been with me."
"My goal is to finish on a high by winning the Emperor's Cup in Japan. From January 1st, I will continue working in football with the DV7 project. Thank you all for your love," added the striker.
D. Villa's career is mostly associated with the Spanish national team. He scored 59 goals in 98 matches and became the all-time leading scorer for the national team. D. Villa was also one of the key figures that led Spain to dominate during the 2008-2012 period, winning two European Championship titles and a World Cup.
In his club career, he achieved the most success with "Barcelona." In three years, the sniper played 119 matches, scored 48 goals, and won eight titles, including UEFA Champions League trophies.
However, D. Villa left the most significant mark at the "Valencia" club, where he scored 129 goals in 225 matches.
D. Villa also wore the jerseys of "Sporting Gijon," "Real Zaragoza," Madrid's "Atletico," "Melbourne City," and "New York City" during his career.
Throughout his professional career, representing both clubs and the national team, D. Villa played 850 matches and scored 435 goals.
My goal is to put the icing on the cake by winning the Emperor's Cup with @visselkobe on January 1st. From then on, I will continue enjoying all the projects we are working on with the DV7 Group. Thank you for all your affection. - David Villa (@Guaje7Villa) November 13, 2019
