Throughout the ages, there have been various sportsmen who have had such an impact on their chosen sport that they have similarly affected the rest of the Australian sporting landscape.
David Villa is quickly becoming that man for the A-League.
Picture yourself in a cricket club, conversing with teammates over how they went through the various grades.
Then David Villa’s name is mentioned, and how he saved City from defeat. It is amazing how this conversation can overtake the whole room. This is one example of how those who cannot stand the sport of football are aware of how good Villa is.
The next week, discussions once again commence of how Villa single-handedly saved City from the jaws of defeat. And once again, those who know little about the A-League start to realise how important he is.
Ever since coming Down Under, Villa has been the main attraction of the A-League.
2012’s arrival in Alessandro Del Piero was a major coup for the A-League and Sydney FC. ADP brought an enormous amount of experience and media attention, which Australian football needs to compete in the football world.
But the hype for Villa is on a whole other level.
The Spaniard boasts an impressive record – 97 appearances for Spain, with 59 goals, and competing in three World Cups. He has also had 77 showings for FC Barcelona, and 36 for Atlètico Madrid, two of the finest clubs in the world.
These sort of stats are exactly what Australian football needs, especially after riding the wave of success and attention that Del Piero brought.
With Del Piero leaving to play with the Delhi Dynamos in the Indian football competition, and Manchester City acquiring Melbourne Heart, Villa’s arrival has been exactly what the A-League would have hoped for.
He has obviously already become a favourite among loyal City supporters, providing them with highlights in his goals against Sydney FC and Newcastle. But what the league would be most excited about is the reputation he brought, and what it’ll do to attract Australians who don’t particularly enjoy football.
This weekend Villa approaches his most important game for Melbourne City, against cross-town rivals Victory in the Melbourne Derby.
Great banter has already begun between City and Victory fans, with Victory fans claiming that Villa alone is not going to lead City to an A-League title. Well, that may be true, but if Villa leads City to a win in the Derby, City fans will just have that much to bait the Melbourne Victory fans with.
Villa may only have a few more matches left with Melbourne City FC, with New York City FC recalling Villa for promotional purposes, but what he can do in those matches could help the A-League tremendously.
JR Salazar
Guest
>David Villa >Australian football's new icon Yep, this was written by a Roar Rookie all right.
Adrian none
Roar Rookie
Really The Minister? please go on
The Minister
Guest
Adrian, I think you're in a sad state.
melbourneterrace
Guest
This, he's not here anywhere near long enough to have any serious long term impact
Adrian none
Roar Rookie
A-league in a sad state, if you think a guy playing 300 min of football help A-league David Villa is lucky...ge get to play one of he 4 games in a melbounre derby , in one of the World great sports city who would think..Damien Duff and David Villa (in same team, and they firgting hard to draw :)
Alex
Guest
Rubbish. Villa will increase crowds for 4 matches and disappear over the Pacific to the States. Nobody is questioning his career or quality as a player or even name recognition across world football. But let's be frank, nobody really that concerned about him playing here, and any good headlines he has attracted has been undone by his farcical departure 3 and a half games into a 10 game stint (for promotional purposes!!). Aussie sporting fans, and especially our football pubic, know a dud when they see it. Villa's stint will not be remembered kindly, which is a shame because he has actually performed on the park. And as for your icon of the A-League comment, nobody can become an icon of a League in which they played 3 and a half games. League icons are those who commit to their clubs for seasons, not 1 month.
Olivia Watts
Roar Guru
Four games does not an icon make. Villa is a superstar at the highest level and the best credentialed player the A League has seen, but his stint here amounts to nothing more than an extended publicity tour which will have no lasting effect on the A-league as did the seasons from the likes of Yorke, Shinji Ono and ADP. Damien Duff is the signing City should be building their marketing around; he is an established star AND here for the long term and will sell tickets (as will Jenko after that goal last night). Whilst I am grateful for the chance to have seen one of La Liga's stars, if I were a City fan I'd be feeling very short changed by the whole experience. Fortunately I'm a Victory fan so I get a double treat tonight - David Villa AND a Derby win! Sweet!!!
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
Maybe amongst true A-League Supporters, those names are iconic, but for those who know very little of the game, they would have no clue who Berisha, Brosque, Broich or Thompson are. Villa is a sporting icon, and it has gotten people who are not particularly interested in the game of football talking about it. That's what the A-League wants, players who have worldwide status as a footballer influencing Australian football to such an extent that he will have nearly every Australian talking about him, even if they are not majorly interested in football. That is why he will become an icon of the sport, because everybody will know David Villa, not just A-League fans.
Striker
Guest
Mel terrace your missing the point David villa arrival gives the league more respect from the euro snobs and neutrals as he is in his prime and scoring, in ten years I have never seen our game talked about and the coverage from all media has shocked me how much there on board.
melbourneterrace
Guest
What complete and utter nonsense, he will play a total of four games, because CFG think promotion of their NY club is more important than results in melbourne, in a league that's nearly 10 years old. His pedigree is irrelevant, he is only here for a mere flutter compared to the entire length of the competition, nowhere near long enough to become anything close to an "icon" or have an impact to match Del Piero's. The real icons of the Aus are those who have preformed and entertained us consistently over the years. The likes of Thomas Broich, Alex Brosque, Besart Berisha and Archie Thompson are the true icons of the A-League.