My Favorite Player: David Villa

Mark Booth

Our ongoing odyssey to uncover the favorite players of our entire first-team roster continues…

Following on from John Stertzer’s appreciation for Cesc Fabregas, we check in on the MLS MVP himself.

David has played with some of the greatest players to have ever taken to a field to kick a ball but the player he chooses had retired long before Villa made his professional debut.

Villa’s favorite player is… Quini.

David on Quini…

"I really like being considered the heir of Quini, anyone would like that. It helped me a lot when I was 16 or 17 and I was at Sporting. Quini and Luis Enrique have always been my idols and a reference in my entire sports career.”

Quini: El Brujo

Before The Kid, there was The Sorcerer.

Enrique Castro Gonzalez, better known as “Quini”, is one of Europe’s deadliest strikers of all-time, terrorizing the Spanish league for 19 long years between 1968 and 1987.

Like Villa, he came through and made his name at Sporting Gijon where he scored 214 league goals in 381 appearances, earning seven Pichichi trophies for top scorer.

In another parallel between David and his hero, Quini went on to represent FC Barcelona, continuing his awesome strike rate at the Camp Nou, winning two Copa del Reys and the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, before he returned to Gijon to see out his playing days.

A Spain international for 12 years, the striker appeared at two FIFA World Cups and one European Championship.

Quini on David…

"There was no need to tell him many things, that's the truth. But, I did tell him: 'Do not change your way of being. As a player you are very good, but the person is fundamental to walk through life. You are close, affectionate and that is worth a lot. Never change your way of being and acting, because it will take you far.’"

Status Update…

Quini retired at Sporting Gijon in 1987, playing his final game against FC Barcelona. He went on to serve on the board at Gijon in a variety of roles.