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Spanish footballer David Villa, who currently plays for Vissel Kobe in Japan, announced today his retirement from professional football at the end of this season of the Japanese league at the end of the year.

"I have always told myself that I prefer to leave football before football leaves me ," Villa said in a press conference called in Kobe (western Japan), where he also said that it is "a very thoughtful decision. "

The 37-year-old Guaje joined the Kobe club earlier this year, where he came from New York City of the American league, and also played for teams like FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid after starting his career in the Sporting of Gijón.

"I have decided that this is the perfect moment," said Villa, who added that in the season he has played at Vissel he has been able to make "a good number of goals" and that from now on "he will have time to devote himself to other things ", including the management of a New York club whose acquisition also announced on the eve.

"I hope to continue contributing to football with the Queens club and with the academies that we have in different countries," said the Asturian player.

Villa expressed his thanks to all the clubs for which he has gone on a professional career that has been extended for almost two decades, as well as to his teammates, friends and family.

"Without them, I would not have been able to do it," he said visibly excited to mention his relatives and after affirming that a large part of his career successes "were thanks to his teammates."

The former scorer of the Red wanted to dedicate special thanks to Vissel Kobe and his fans, for offering him "a great welcome" and making with him "a risky bet" being a player "with an outstanding career but also with a good number of years".

Villa expressed his desire to finish the season with the Vissel "in the best possible way", and in particular rising with the title of the Emperor Cup, whose semifinals will play his team on December 21 against Shimizu S-Pulse.

"If we manage to pass the semifinals, my withdrawal will be on January 2 and as champions of the Cup ," Villa said in reference to the final of that tournament, scheduled for the first day of 2020.

Likewise, the last Vissel match in the current season of the Japanese league -competition in which the Kobe team is in the middle of the table- will take place on December 7 in its stadium against Jubilo.

For his part, the owner of the club and the e-commerce giant Rakuten, Hiroshi Mikitani, thanked Villa for his contribution to the team and called him "one of the best players in the history of football that has gone through the Japanese league", during his appearance before the media with the player.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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  • Sporting of Gijón
  • Atlético de Madrid
  • Japan
  • FC Barcelona
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