David Villa

Spanish football league LFP (Liga de Fútbol Profesional) is witnessing nowadays the rise of a home striker: David Villa Sánchez is his name.
Villa is a 24 year-old player that started his professional career in second division's Sporting Gijón, where, from 2000 till 2003, he scored 51 goals in 115 matches. He was 21 when first league's Real Zaragoza purchased him. He's been there two years and scored 32 goals in the 73 games he's been in. Fragilized Valencia saw in him an important piece for 2005/06, season in which this spanish club bet on the return of its natural international success. 12 million euros was the price that Zaragoza set for their promising striker; Valencia didn't think twice.

Currently, David is the second LFP's maximum scorer, after the unstoppable cameroonian Eto'o, who's only 1 goal ahead. His main characteristics are his finishing, speed, technique, positioning and good penalty taking. He also likes to play on the edge of offside and falls at the minimum touch (latin blood there...).

Deportivo de la Coruña's keeper José Francisco Molina knows what Villa is capable of, after the astoneshing volley he suffered some weeks ago. Nowadays he's one of the best spanish team players, where he disputes with Atlético de Madrid superstar Fernando Torres for scorer title. We'll be seeing him in the upcoming World Cup.

Today's spanish sports newspaper Marca reports Villa's contract extension until 2013, with a fee release clause of 126 million.

*Rui Rocha is a blogger from Portugal who contributes to Football Commentator, you can read his blog at www.opinioespublicas.blogspot.com.