Villa the Cat’s Pyjamas, Ronaldo the Litter
One of them has a muliti-million dollar contract with Nike, and the other has four goals in four World Cup matches. One has undeniable charisma and a legion of teenage girl fans, the other plays soccer ambidextrously. Finally, one was just sent home from the 2010 World Cup after a terribly average performance—the other on par to lead his team into the finals.
Put simply: David Villa is in contention to replace Cristiano Ronaldo as Spain’s number one soccer star.
In a recent match between the two, the 2008 World Player of the Year Ronaldo was meek and modest, while Villa scored his fourth goal of the competition in a 1-0 victory headed now to the quarter-finals. He’s now at the top of scoring charts, alongside Gonzalo Higuain and Robert Vittek.
“David Villa is on fire, which is really good news for us,” Spain defender Gerard Pique said.
In the Portugal match Villa showed exactly the kind of stardom and finishing Ronaldo has been trying to find for his own national side. These tendencies say more than any others will in the Premier leagues. It’s the players that play well in the World Cup that are eternally remembered (Pele, Maradona).
Ambidextrous! Villa shot first with his left foot, which was saved by goalkeeper Eduardo, but followed up with his right for the winner at the 63 minute marker.
It just goes to show you the false equation between high-profile soccer celebrity and high-caliber soccer player. Ronaldo was easily billed as one of the top stars of the tournament, along with others like Wayne Rooney. But each have proved sour disappointments—shiny wrappings with little on the inside to sink your teeth into.
Ronaldo refused to speak to reporters after the match, but his frustration was on display on his agent’s website.
“I feel devastated, completely broken-hearted, frustrated, and unimaginably sad,” he said. In the words of a man looking hard for confirmation, he followed with: “I know I’m the captain, I have always faced up to my responsibilities, and I always will.”
At this point one wonders if those responsibilities will entail taking a permanent back seat to Villa. Will he be content to face up to those?
With seven World Cup goals, the 28 year old Villa is already Spain’s best player ever at the tournament. And apparently there is only one key to his success, the simply, undeterred kind: “To keep scoring. Keep scoring so we can keep going.”
Villa presently has 42 goals in 62 games for his country, just two goals short of the 44 in 102 matches accumulated by Spanish icon Raul Gonzalez. On top of that, he isn’t just scoring—he’s moving the ball, playmaking, running, and passing too.
The proof can be seen in the fact that half hour after the Portugal defeat, Spain fans were still jammed into Green Point Stadium, singing his praises. It goes without saying that he will be an overwhelming favourite to score in Spain’s next match against Paraguay on Saturday.
On a more analytic note, what the match showed was not just the obvious differences in Villa and Ronaldo, but the differences between them. Ronaldo has nobody else. When Villa has an off day, Hernandez or Torres can step it up. Portugal, on the other hand, had come to rely on their star too strongly; but although you can predict a picnic, you can’t predict the weather.
Villa, of course, turns it on when it matters. Ronaldo apparently can’t: one goal on a penalty in 2006, one at Euro 2008, and one goal in South Africa. Yet another reminder that a bright star isn’t always a holy one.
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