How David Villa Helped the MLS Grow

David Villa came to Major League Soccer like a bolt from the blue. That Spanish finesse, combined with a nose for goals that few in the world could match, turned the American soccer scene upside down. Leaving Atlético Madrid, fresh off a La Liga win, wasn’t a trivial decision. But Villa, visionary, restless, saw an opportunity in New York that only the brave would embrace. He called it an “irresistible project” himself.

When he introduced himself to New York City FC, he was more than just the team’s first official player; he became its captain and wore the iconic No. 7. Right off the bat, Villa made it clear: he wanted to shake things up. His aim? To make NYCFC the best team in the league and prove to America that soccer could capture hearts just as fiercely as the NFL and NBA.

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Villa’s MLS debut came with a side adventure on the other side of the world. Before stepping onto American fields, he had a stint with Melbourne City in Australia, keeping in shape and getting a taste of the local league. And what an entrance, he scored in his first game, leaving Aussies buzzing. Villa wasn’t just a player; he was a phenomenon, tripling the club’s audience and drawing in a fanbase that barely knew this intense-eyed Spaniard with a deadly strike. But New York called him back after just four games.

When he finally wore NYC’s jersey, MLS got its first real superstar. His start was electric, assists, goals, even jaw-dropping moves in friendlies. Villa quickly earned the fans’ cheers. He scored the opener in his first home game at the legendary Yankee Stadium, showing the doubters he wasn’t just passing through. David Villa had come to make history.

Still, that first season wasn’t all fairy tale. Despite Villa’s goals, NYCFC was still finding its footing, with losses as part of the deal, and they didn’t make the playoffs. But that didn’t faze Villa; if anything, it fueled him. The following year, he came back firing. In 2016, Villa proved his worth, snagging the league’s MVP honor with 23 goals, solidifying his place in American fans' hearts. It wasn’t just an impressive performance; it raised MLS's global standing.

The peak of this era? Probably his hat-trick against the New York Red Bulls, a rivalry the fans embraced like tradition. Villa got it. With each goal, it was like he was carving his legacy right there in Yankee Stadium. By then, he’d surpassed 20 goals for the season, leading the scoring charts and even topping Chicago Fire’s Nemanja Nikolić. Trying to capture what that meant without sounding cliché is tough, but it was like watching a European superstar light up the American pitch, showing the MLS was more than just a playground for retired players.

Villa’s journey with MLS had more in store. In 2018, hitting the astonishing milestone of 400 goals across clubs and international matches, he cemented himself as one of the era’s most prolific scorers.

Today, looking back, it’s almost impossible to picture MLS without Villa. His legacy isn’t just about trophies or personal titles; he brought a shift in mindset. David Villa came as a foreigner but left as a hero, someone who didn’t just score goals but planted seeds for the future.