David Villa is a wonderful footballer. He is one of the most gifted, intelligent players in all of Major League Soccer. The statistics, which are hugely impressive, only tell half the story, though. It is in watching him play that you get to see his true genius.
The deftness of his touch, the awareness of his movement, his nuance and subtlety that fly in the face in the American obsession with athleticism and measurables. He is a Spanish throwback, coming to show that the old magicians still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Villa was New York City FC’s first signing.