David Villa storms past Raul Gonzalez as Spain’s leading goal-scorer
Barcelona striker and Spain international, David Villa, has surpassed his former team-mate, Raul Gonzalez, as the all-time leading goal scorer for his country. Villa scored twice in a match against the Czech Republic in their Euro 2012, Group I qualifier.
The 29-year-old striker has been a consistent performer for Spain ever since he made his debut against San Marino in 2006. Spain won that game by a 5-0 margin. Manager, Vicente del Bosque was all praise for the striker.
The striker did not get off to the most favourable start and had to wait for nine long months before netting his first international goal. It was at the 2006 FIFA World Cup when the striker was preferred over Raul.
During the match against Czech Republic, Villa netted in his first goal on the 69th minute mark when he took the ball onto his left foot and squeezed his shot past goalkeeper Petr Cech. Just three minutes later, on the 72nd minute mark,
Villa netted in his and the teams second after his Barcelona team-mate, Andres Iniesta, earned a penalty for the La Roja.
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the striker netted five times and led Spain to their first ever FIFA World Cup Trophy in their very first final.
Villa now has forty six goals under his belt from just seventy one international appearances as compared to Raul, who had forty four goals from one hundred and two appearances. After scoring his twenty first goal he became Spain’s ninth all-time highest
goal scorer, overtaking Telmo Zarra. He scored his forty-fourth goal against Scotland in another Euro 2012 qualifier and equalled Raul’s record to become joint-leading goal scorer. It was on the 25 of March, when he became his country’s leading goal scorer
against the Czech Republic.
Villa joined Barcelona in 2010 on a four-year deal from another Spanish side, Valencia. Since then, the striker has been a prolific figure alongside Lionel Messi and has scored twenty one goals in thirty six appearances for the club in all competitions.
He has nine assists to go along with his twenty-one goals.