Durban: Sixty games have came and gone in the 2010 World Cup. What can we take from the incredible events in South Africa?
Firstly, that age-old cliches are on occasion the most befitting – now you can, officially, never write off the Germans. Secondly, that despite some substandard matches and negative formations, FIFA’s flagship event provides almost unparalleled emotion, drama and debate.
Thirdly, and perhaps most disappointingly to the viewing billions, the majority of the game's stellar stars have failed to ignite. Lionel Messi, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres and Robin van Persie have all offered brief cameos without truly giving this tournament a defining memory that showcases their talent.
There is, however, a notable exception from this list – David Villa. Quite simply, without the prolificacy of this phenomenon, this talisman, this mastermind, Spain could well have been returning to Iberia long ago. Instead, El Guaje has been the driving force, and arguably the single reason why La Furia Roja will feel that they can dispose of the rampant Germans in the semi-final.
There is no questioning the glittering array of talent that Vicente del Bosque has available to him, but a number of factors have converged to deprive the coach of producing the very best from a very good team.
Fernando Torres’ problems are well documented, and they continued against a robust Paraguay side; poor touch, no drive, no determination, and, ultimately, no fitness. It is now perhaps overdue for El Nino’s tournament to be brought to a premature end before his inept displays damage the team dynamic further.
Beyond Torres, though, others in the squad appear to be labouring slightly. Xavi and Andres Iniesta have not brought their Barcelona form to the table, and exhibit the mannerisms of a duo fighting fatigue from another gruelling domestic campaign. The spark that set Spain apart in the Euros two years ago is flickering, and they have limped rather than surged to the last four, albeit for the first time in their history.
To provide another cliche that has embodied this tournament, there is a fine line between success and failure; for Spain, David Villa has dragged them over that line.
Of the six goals that they have scored in the tournament, Villa has scored five and provided an assist for the sixth. He produced a wonder goal to calm the nerves in the match versus Honduras, before scoring a 50-yard strike to lay the foundation for the win over Chile.
Against Portugal, he was vastly superior to anyone else on show, and once again produced striking instinct and finishing ability to seal the win against a team looking to stifle and settle for penalties.
Paraguay adopted similar tactics, but again Villa made the difference. He is now in line for the golden shoe, and it could be argued that no other top goalscorer in World Cup history, should he win the prize, has been so instrumental to his side’s progression.
Barcelona look to have landed themselves a bargain. Wherever Villa is employed by del Bosque, there is an unerring sense of anticipation. Whether he cuts in from the left or roves on the shoulder of the last defender, the 28-year old is a constant menace, and his movement is key to creating the space required for Spain’s pass-and-move philosophy to operate successfully.
But it is his innate ability to be in the right place at the right time that has handed Spain salvation when it seemed difficult to establish where the inspiration would come from. Watching Villa regularly find the net amidst the chaos at financially-stricken former club Valencia tells you everything you need to know about his desire and drive to succeed. It would have been easy to have been distracted by transfer speculation and backroom blunders having a detrimental effect on the long-term future of Los Che, but Villa simply stuck to the task he was born to fulfil – find the back of the net.
He has carried his enviable club record onto the world stage, and 33 goals in his last 34 internationals is a frankly stupendous record that very few forwards could even dream of challenging, but his goals don’t come from hat-tricks against European minnows. A criticism often accosted at supposed world class strikers is their aptitude for netting big goals in big matches. Even based on this tournament in isolation and ignoring his numerous winning goals for club and country that preceded South Africa, Villa could never be accused of not producing when it has really mattered.
And Spain have really needed him so far. He has been there, and without playing with their trademark flair and fluency, del Bosque’s men are just two matches away from being the first European side to win the World Cup outside their own continent.
If they achieve their ambition, then there can be no denying that the name of David Villa will become etched into Spanish legend forever more, and he could be the man that World Cup 2010 is remembered for.
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