David Villa was one of the finest strikers of his generation. His best years were spent with Real Zaragoza, Valencia, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid as he won a whole host of honours for those teams, including three La Liga titles, three Copa del Reys, and the Champions League (among various other honours).
He was also Spain's leading striker between 2005 to 2017, winning Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup during what was a golden age for the national team. He played with some special players of that era, including legendary club and international teammates Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
Most notably, however, he was part of an iconic Barcelona attack that saw him play alongside Lionel Messi. The pair shared the pitch together on 103 occasions, directly linking up for 26 goals.
While Villa never won the Ballon d'Or, Messi got his hands on the prize a record eight times. With that in mind, the Spanish striker certainly knows what it takes to win the award and has named his favourite for the 2025 ceremony.
David Villa Isn't Big Fan of Ballon d'Or But Names His Favourite
'It’s an award that I’ve never really believed in'
While there is plenty of debate about who will get their hands on the 2025 Ballon d'Or, most would agree that the three front-runners for the award are Barcelona duo Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, as well as Paris Saint-Germain ace Ousmane Dembele.
Speaking at a public event (as quoted by Barca Universal), Villa admitted that he personally doesn't care for the award that much. Even so, he couldn't help but label Lamine Yamal as a future Ballon d'Or winner, saying:
“To do that at 17 years of age is a real shocking thing to do in a club like Barca. With respect to other clubs, it’s difficult to play for Barca. That aura, or call it what you will, is very difficult to spot, and he transmits it.
“I think it’s something fantastic, I think we all have to look after him, help him, wait for him when he has bad moments because he will have them, because he’s still a kid. He has a talent ahead of him and a brutal future.”
He was then asked specifically about Yamal lifting the Ballon d'Or in 2025 and asserted that the teen was his personal favourite this year, and has no doubt that he will win the prize eventually:
“We’ll see, I think he has done well. There are still a few weeks left in the season, and you know it’s an award that I’ve never really believed in. He will win it one day, for sure.”
It remains to be seen if voters feel as though Yamal has done enough to scoop the award ahead of Champions League winner Dembele and Barcelona teammate Raphinha. If the 18-year-old does win the prize, though, he'll be the youngest player ever to do so, and the first teenager too. Ronaldo Nazario currently holds the record at 21 years, 3 months and 5 days when he won in 1997.
Stats via Transfermarkt