Could David Villa play in his fourth World Cup?
That’s certainly on the mind of the New York City FC striker, who told Spanish news agency EFE that he knows Spain head coach Julen Lopetegui is “watching me and that I’m one of the attacking candidates” to make the roster for this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Villa previously played in the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups, scoring a whopping nine goals over the three tournaments, including five in 2010, which Spain won.
He initially planned to retire following the 2014 World Cup but Villa — Spain’s all-time top scorer with 59 goals — was called up for two qualifying games this past September, before injuries kept him on the sideline for all but one minute of those contests.
Villa has also been, of course, one of the best players in MLS since his last World Cup appearance, scoring 63 goals over the last three seasons with NYCFC.
But will that club success help him make the roster when Spain take on Portugal in their first 2018 World Cup game on June 15?
"In the end, [Lopetegui] will decide which players are best and I'd be delighted to be part of the squad,” Villa said in the interview, which appears in the newspaper Diario AS. “What I will do is play well and train hard at the highest level to get the best out of myself."
NYCFC's regular season begins March 4th with a game at Sporting Kansas City.
