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Valencia's David Villa celebrates - Source: Reuters -
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If you love football stats, then there is no argument about who is currently the best striker in world football.
With an amazing 36 international goals in just 55 matches, Spain's David Villa is the master poacher.
Quick to seize any opening, he pounces in a blink and off either foot, or with his head, he is lethal in the box.
Spain are blessed by having two world class strikers in 'El Nino' Torres and Villa. With the Liverpool star continuing to carry niggling injuries Spain may have to look to Villa increasingly to provide the goals as they search for World Cup glory in July. And on this form he won't disappoint.
In Paris, Spain were worthy 2-0 winners over the 'lucky' French, and Villa got the ball rolling in emphatic style, having passed up one opportunity earlier, he made no mistake from Iniesta's assist minutes later.
Having usurped the legendary Raul's number 7 shirt, he is fast
closing in on Raul's all-time Spanish scoring record of 44.
Crown jewel
It is somewhat surprising that debt-ridden Valencia have been able to hold on to their crown jewel this season. Back in July 2009 it seemed every European giant was being linked to the marksman, with Real Madrid and Chelsea hot on the 28-year old's heels. Again, in January the same transfer stories surfaced, but once the window shut Villa remained at Los Che.
Expect the World Cup hype to ramp up Villa's worth again. If those mega-rich clubs were baulking at the ý50m asking price last year, they may well live to rue passing up a steal.
If Villa walks off with the Golden Boot in South Africa, as he did in the Euros in 2008, and Spain take the ultimate prize on the back of his goals, Valencia will demand a record shattering price, in excess of Cristiano Ronaldo's $80m, for their golden asset.
Rightly so, too, as we all know goals win prizes and the stats
don't lie. Respected magazine 'World Soccer' recently
conducted a 5-year analysis of all the top strikers in late 2009
and Villa outstripped all pretenders by a huge margin on the
domestic, European and international stage, way ahead of Eto'o and
Ronaldo. His consistency since joining Valencia in 2005, has
cemented the early promise he showed at Gijon and Zaragoza.
Bullets
His club may be trailing the top two in La Liga by some way, but once more Villa is leading the charge for the 'pichichi' as top scorer in Spain, and that is without the wonderful midfield support and creativity that he enjoys in the national team, where the genius of Iniesta, Xavi and company create the bullets aplenty for him to feed on.
Valencia's more humble team may not have those support men, but it doesn't stop Villa as he once more looks set to break his own single La Liga season record of 28, set in 2009.
He possesses that rarest talent of being a natural born goal scorer. Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas has already spoken of his wish to have Villa come to the Emirates, but he will be way beyond the Gunners spending power this summer.
If it wasn't for his self-proclaimed love of Valencia, and the fact the recession is even tightening football's purse strings, I would put my house on David Villa making the move to one of the true giants after the World Cup.
That said, he's definitely my pick to be top scorer in South
Africa.
Do you agree with Matt Hunt? Who do you think is the best
striker in world football? Leave your views on our messageboard
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentThe Slickster said on 2010-03-09 @ 14:49 NZDT: Report abusive post
Got to be Shane Smeltz. Two seasons in a row the A-League's top scorer! Need I say more...
Timmo said on 2010-03-09 @ 11:09 NZDT: Report abusive post
George Boyd - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrMT34ytAsY
Laurie Reid said on 2010-03-09 @ 10:44 NZDT: Report abusive post
Matt makes some good points but for all round ability it is hard to go past Torres. Spain is lucky to have them both..