Villa: Barça can define an era

Villa: Barça can define an era


David Villa has certainly had plenty to smile about in recent years. A key component of Spain’s triumphs at UEFA UERO 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, El Guaje has since shot to the top of La Roja’s all-time top scorers’ list and signed on the dotted line for Catalan giants Barcelona.

With 17 goals and a Spanish Supercup winners’ medal already in the bag following his summer switch from Valencia, the 29-year-old also earned a coveted berth in the FIFA/FIFPro World XI for 2010. In an exclusive interview with FIFA.com that touched on his phenomenal 2010 and Barça’s recipe for success, the Spain No7 showed his desire to improve is as strong as ever, warning ominously that “the best is yet to come”.

FIFA.com: As arguably Barcelona’s biggest-name signing for 2010/11, how have you settled into life at the club?
David Villa: I’ve adapted really well and I think it’s been a positive move for my career. I’ve already won my first title at my new club in the shape of the Spanish Supercup, and things are going pretty well at Barça.

“Pretty well” is quite the understatement when it comes to Barcelona’s displays this campaign. Does it even surprise the players when things click in such spectacular fashion?
No, it all comes down to hard work. The good results we’re getting are thanks to a combination of the players’ immense individual talent, the right preparation and the level of confidence we have. What’s more, we’re really happy to see how much everyone enjoys how we play the game.

From the outside looking in it appears the bond between the players and coach Pep Guardiola is watertight, not only in footballing terms but in the players’ attitude, behaviour and dealings with the media etc. Is that really the case?
You get a bit of everything. But of course this has always been the way Barça do things, it’s nothing new. As well as keeping this footballing philosophy going, the coach has managed to assemble a group of players with some very special characteristics, who’ve adapted and gelled perfectly. Given all that, I think we have what it takes to define an era. I hope that’s the case.
The coach has managed to assemble a group of players with some very special characteristics, who’ve adapted and gelled perfectly... I think we have what it takes to define an era.
David Villa

And what’s it like working with Guardiola at close quarters?
He’s a very approachable coach. Not just when it comes to talking football, but he also worries about our personal lives, which can have an impact on you day in day out. It really helps players to be able to focus out on the pitch.

How has he influenced you personally?
He’s been a very positive influence. The coach’s instructions on attacking and defending are clearly vital, and he helps me a lot. One of the things that I’ve been asked to do at Barcelona is to adapt to a change in position and playing style. I feel very comfortable working with him and that’s reflected out on the pitch. I feel at home and perform equally well in the centre or on either flank. I’m very pleased to be getting along so well.

You picked up silverware shortly after signing for Barça, lifted the FIFA World Cup with Spain, moved to the top of La Roja’s scorers’ list and were voted into the FIFA/FIFPro World XI. Was 2010 the best year of your career?
Yes, I think so. In terms of titles and goals it was, although I always say that the best is yet to come. That’s something I believe in! That said, clearly things have gone very well for me in recent years, and I also owe a great deal to my former team-mates at Valencia.

Which was your most memorable moment from last year?
I’d have to say the World Cup Final and the goal by Andres [Iniesta].In fact, make that the whole World Cup.

As you came so close to winning the adidas Golden Boot at South Africa 2010, does the penalty you missed against group opponents Honduras weigh heavily on your mind?
Well, at the time I didn’t know that missing that opportunity would cost me the Golden Boot. But I’m still pleased because I scored five goals that helped La Selección qualify from the group phase and progress through the knockout stages. I’m very proud to be able to do my bit for the national team.

Has becoming a world champion changed your life?
No, we’re still the same people and our personal lives haven’t changed. Of course, more people recognise you out on the street, you get more praise and you get people stopping to congratulate you, but everything else has stayed the same.

Finally, in your opinion, what’s the biggest downside to being a professional footballer?
I’ve dreamed of being a footballer since I was a child so it’s hard to find anything negative. I’ve worked so hard towards making it as a player and dreamed about it so much - it’s wonderful! It’s what you spend your whole life searching for. The only thing I could say is that I miss having a bit more privacy, particularly when I’m out with my family, with my daughters. But anyway, when someone invades your privacy it’s usually because they’ve come over to congratulate you or show you how much they like or admire you, which is really nice too.

Lineker: I love watching Spain

Lineker: I love watching Spain


When Gary Lineker departed the 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico™ and joined Barcelona, he did so with the adidas Golden Boot in his possession, so it is perhaps no surprise to hear his admiration for a striker who could be following in his footsteps in more ways than one over the next few days.

David Villa had already signed for Lineker's old club prior to embarking on Spain's South African adventure, and Barça's new striker now stands on the cusp of collecting the Golden Boot himself, heading the leaderboard alongside Wesley Sneijder, with five goals going into Sunday's Final against the Netherlands. The former England captain hailed Villa's impact on the 2010 finals as reflected on the past month spent fronting the BBC's FIFA World Cup coverage.

Lineker told FIFA.com: "He is a prolific goalscorer, with a lot of self-confidence. He handles the pressure very well and is very cool in front of goal. He showed that two years ago at the Euros and has showed here it is not a flash in the pan. He is just one goal behind Raul's record for Spain and is a brilliant finisher."
I love the way they keep the ball, I love their movement, I love their possession.
Gary Lineker on Spain

Lineker, who spent three seasons at Barcelona after his six goals for England at Mexico 1986, had Spain down as "strong favourites" before the tournament and is a huge admirer of their football. Speaking before their semi-final win over Germany, he said: "I know they've not probably peaked yet in terms of their performance – compared with two years ago they have ground out results – but I love the way they keep the ball, I love their movement, I love their possession. [Fernando] Torres has been struggling with fitness and they’ve missed that aspect but I love watching them play."

Spain's vanquished semi-final opponents, Germany, are another team who have "impressed us all", according to Lineker, who recognises a kindred spirit in Miroslav Klose, who, with four goals so far, could yet equal Ronaldo’s record of 15 FIFA World Cup goals in the match for third place against Uruguay. Lineker, who struck ten goals on the world stage, said: "[Klose] is the sort of player who peaks at the right time in World Cups.

"His movement in the box is great, he gambles on attacking space, which is the secret to goalscoring. It is about making a run and hoping the ball goes there. He has done that consistently and it doesn't surprise me that all of his goals have come from inside the box – in my career I only scored one outside of it."

Lineker also had a word for Klose's 20-year-old team-mate Thomas Muller. "He has had four shots on target and managed to score with every one of them, which obviously shows he is pretty accurate in front of goal."

And for Uruguay's "wonderful" Diego Forlan too, another player still in the Golden Boot running with four goals. "He has played in a side that is not particularly offensive and has not had too many opportunities, but he has scored goals out of nothing. His long-range shooting has been outstanding and unlike a lot of players at this World Cup, he seems to have coped with the ball."

A subplot of Sunday's Final is the potential shoot-out for the Golden Boot between Villa and Sneijder, who has flourished behind Robin van Persie in the 4-2-3-1 system in vogue in South Africa. "Van Persie has not scored the goals but he is playing up front on his own and has done a terrific job for the team," said Lineker. "He has brought people in and created one or two things but it is Sneijder, who is playing behind the front man, who has managed to score the goals for them.

"A lot of teams that have done well have played a couple of holding players in front of their back four, so a lot of the width has either come from playing attacking fullbacks or having one up front on his own and two either side of him," he added. "We've seen Brazil play that way, Holland, Spain with [Xabi] Alonso and [Sergio] Busquets holding and giving Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta the licence to roam. The Germans played that way as well and used [Mesut] Ozil cleverly, sitting in between the lines. I think it works quite well because with two holding players you can then play three or four flair players."
It has been a great experience, there is a wonderful atmosphere in South Africa and all the preconceptions prior to the tournament faded away.
Gary Lineker

Lineker lamented England's failure to adopt a similar approach when talk turned to his own country's disappointing campaign. On Wayne Rooney's failure to shine, he said: "Maybe after a long hard season with a couple of injuries towards the end, a bit like Torres, he never looked as sharp as normal. Maybe the expectancy of the nation was weighing on his shoulders a bit too, but it is hard to know.

"There is also the fact that all season he played in a system where he was the front man with a couple of players either side of him, and suddenly he is asked to play second fiddle to a striker in a basic 4-4-2 formation which didn't produce the best out of England. It is probably a mixture of all those things."

If England disappointed, the host nation, South Africa, most certainly has not. "It has been a great experience, there is a wonderful atmosphere and all the preconceptions prior to the tournament faded away – people thought there would be half-empty stadiums, security issues, but those questions were all answered emphatically.

"On the pitch it has been a reasonable World Cup, probably more attack-minded than four years ago where after a really good start, it seemed to get very negative. What we're lacking is probably a couple of the world's greatest players not performing to the best of their abilities and we've not had yet the great game, the one we'll all remember, but that may well yet come."