The No. 9 Dilemma: Villa and Morientes Comment on Spain's Striker Puzzle
12 November 2025
World Cup No. 9: The Spain Debate
A few months before the upcoming World Cup, whispers fill Spanish football circles about who will lead La Roja s attack, given the unsettled No. 9 role under coach Luis de la Fuente.
Two of the most storied No. 9s in Spain s history, David Villa and Fernando Morientes, share their views on what defines a true striker.
Villa, Spain s all time top scorer with 59 goals for the national team, has argued that the position has always been the biggest challenge in football, emphasizing the ongoing need for a definitive striker despite generations of talent.
Morientes, another classic No. 9, agrees with Villa: he is in favor of a genuine striker and says the role matters personally, if not as a direct critique of the coach s plan.
Discussing the current identity, Villa explains that the classic No. 9 has not disappeared in Spanish football and that players like Morata, Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Joselu, Ansu Fati, Rafa Mir, Dani Olmo, and Marco Asensio have filled the role at different times, with Borja Mayoral waiting in the wings. Villa even admires Julián Álvarez as a complete striker among foreign options.
Morientes says he has great respect for the coach and that things are going well, so he can do as he wishes.
Villa adds that there are many options and that Spain has top forwards who will be chosen based on the needs of each match. The debate captures a broader question about how the No. 9 role evolves in modern football.
An Illustrious Journey
David Villa was born on December 3, 1981, in Langreo, Asturias, and rose from modest beginnings to become one of Spain s all time leading scorers.
He endured a childhood leg injury, but his father helped him train with the left foot, later developing a balanced ability with both feet.
Villa began his professional career with Sporting Gijón in 2001, scoring 38 goals in two seasons in the second division. This brought Real Zaragoza, where he helped win the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup in 2004, cementing his status as a rising star.
In 2005 his career took off after joining Valencia, where he scored over 100 goals across competitions in five seasons and became Spain s top forward. His success at Valencia earned him a move to Barcelona in 2010 for about 40 million euros.
At Barca, he enjoyed one of his peak periods as part of a golden generation under Guardiola, alongside Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, contributing to the 2011 Champions League triumph and multiple league titles.
In 2013 he moved to Atletico Madrid and helped them win La Liga in 2013 2014, before stints with New York City FC in the United States and Vissel Kobe in Japan, culminating in his retirement in 2019.
