The rumor mill surrounding New York City FC has been churning for the past several months, with big name stars from all over Europe being linked to the club. Last week reports surfaced that none other than Atletico Madrid’s David Villa, the prolific Spanish forward, would be the first to sign for the club. Today the signing was made official and NYCFC have made a huge splash before they’ve played even a minute of soccer.
David Villa is expected to attract further top-flight talent to the Big Apple, with Englishman Frank Lampard also rumored to follow him across the Atlantic. With their opening match less than a year away, NYCFC are finally seeing the seeds of a squad come together. David Villa will wear NYCFC’s number 7 jersey.
Villa was born in Langreo on the Northern coast of Spain, where he began his professional career with Real Sporting de Gijón B in 1999; he was promoted to the first team in 2001. He continued ascending the ranks of La Liga, playing for at Zaragosa, Valencia, and Barcelona before landing at Atletico Madrid last season where the side won their first La Liga title since 1996. The side also made it’s way to the Champions League finals this past season, where they led most of the game but ultimately lost to Real Madrid 4-1 in overtime after Jorge Ramos scored off a wonderful last-second header.
He was called up to the Spanish national team in 2005. Since then the Spanish have two Euro trophies (2008, 2012) and their first World Cup (2010). He is the all-time leading scorer for the Spanish National team with 50 goals. Villa will play in this summer’s World Cup in Brazil where Spain will try to win back-to-back World Cup titles. He widely seen as one of the world’s best forwards and, despite a broken leg which kept him out of the 2012 Euro tournament, has regained his form and is an extremely dangerous goalscorer. His signing may indicate NYCFC seek to emulate Manchester City’s attacking style of play in Major League Soccer. Manchester City FC are majority owners of the new MLS expansion side. The New York Yankees are minority owners.
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