FIFA 2010 football World Cup: Miroslav Klose v David Villa
While many of the star names at this summer’s World Cup finals may have flattered to deceive, two of Europe’s most revered strikers have certainly lived up to expectations.
Spain’s David Villa arrived in South Africa having just completed a £34.2million move from Valencia to Spanish giants Barcelona, and with five goals to his name going into this evening’s World Cup semi-final against Germany, is currently the joint-top scorer at the tournament.
And Germany’s Miroslav Klose? Well, he’s now just one goal away from equalling Ronaldo’s tally as the all-time top scorer in World Cup history. Currently on 14 goals after his four more this summer, if Klose can score two more goals before the tournament reaches its conclusion, the German hitman will become the World Cup’s most prolific ever striker. Not to mention still being on course for back-to-back Golden Boots.
But which one would you rather have in your national team? Without taking age into consideration, which of the two goalscoring extraordinaires provides the biggest impact for their respective nations?
With both Klose and Villa, you know exactly what you’re going to get: goals. While Villa is a more modern, dynamic attacker; Klose is your traditional fox-in-the-box type centre-forward - always looking to get in off the shoulder of the last defender with the aid of his incredible movement, deadly inside the six-yard box and even more lethal with his head.
OK, so the 32-year-old may not be the most prolific at club level, but as soon as he puts on the famous German national shirt, he becomes a different player. With 52 goals from 100 international appearances, Klose’s goalscoring record is mightily impressive.
However, a quick glance at Villa’s record for the Spaniards makes for even more terrifying reading for the Germans. The 28-year-old has netted 43 times in just 63 matches for Spain since 2005, and needs just one more goal to equal Raul’s record of 44 goals from 102 appearances.
To put it simply, Villa is close to becoming the greatest striker in Spain’s history. And although his remarkable record suggests that he’s just a goalscorer, it would be foolish to be suckered into thinking that’s the case: Villa is so much more than that.
Usually playing from wide-left, the Spain No.7 loves to cut inside on his right foot, and inevitably causes havoc when he does so. With impeccable ball control and an insatiable willingness to run directly at his opposing defenders instead of passing backwards, Villa combines the role of the striker and the attacking forward with aplomb.
His all-round game along with his tireless work ethic is what makes him such a key player in the Spain squad – plus the fact that he almost guarantees La Roja a goal every time he steps foot onto the pitch.
Of course, both strikers are instrumental for their national teams and it’ll be vitally important for Spain and Germany tonight that their star forwards shine for them to reach the 2010 World Cup Final.
Klose may be on the verge of cementing his name in the football history books as the tournament’s deadliest-ever striker; but it’s Villa who, if he carries on in the same vein, could even surpass his German counterpart one day.
So, the verdict? Now’s the time to recognise Villa as the most complete and best striker in world football.
Tags: