Former Barça & Spain striker David Villa announces retirement from football
Villa, 38, calls time on his career after a short spell with Vissel Kobe in Japan
Former Valencia, Barcelona and Spain striker David Villa has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 37.
The best goal scorer in Spain's history will hang up his boots when the season finishes in Japan, where he is currently playing alongside Andres Iniesta at Vissel Kobe.
"I wanted to retire before football retired me," Villa, famous for wearing the No.7 shirt, said in a news conference on Wednesday.
Villa brings the curtain down on a career filled with success on an individual and a collective level. He won three Copa del Rey, two La Ligas, three Spanish Super Cups, one Champions League, one European Super Cup and one Club World Cup at club level.
Save a league with Atletico, a Copa del Rey with Valencia and a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup with Real Zaragoza, he won all his titles dressed in Barça's colours, where he formed a deadly front three with Lionel Messi and Pedro.
He also enjoyed success with Spain, winning Euro 2008, a tournament at which he was the top scorer, and later the World Cup in 2010. He was the second top scorer in South Africa and was chosen as the third-best player.
Villa played for Sporting Gijon before moving to Zaragoza and then Valencia. After his big move to Barcelona, he went on to play for Atletico, New York City and, most recently, Vissel Kobe.
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