David Villa is much more than goals. In his career, he has scored 278 goals in official matches, and is the best striker in the history of the national team with 47 goals, one more than Raul Gonzalez. But he is much more than a goalscorer, he puts in a lot of effort and works hard on the field, always ready to sacrifice, and as his coach emphasized, David is “vital for us.” Before the start of his second season in Barcelona, David Villa spoke to Catalan paper Sport (original piece here). Read the translation after the jump.

Sport: Last year you didn’t participate in the preseason [ed. due to a longer vacation after the World Cup]. How do you rate your first preseason with Barça?

Villa: Well, with hope [to continue] and desire. It’s my first preseason with Barça, but in last year’s I didn’t have much of an opportunity to enjoy the preseason. Such preparation is vital to feeling okay during a long season. Not being able to prepare well was a handicap.

Pep said at press conference that Villa is in great physical condition. Only in one game, against Manchester United in Washington, you were a bit under this level.

Yes, I agree with the Mister. That day we played against United I wasn’t in the best condition. I’ve spoken with the coach. He knows what happened because he saw me [on the pitch], but luckily I overcame it. I don’t know if it was because of the heat, in the first half I felt very tired, even dizzy. But during other games I felt very good.

A striker lives for the goal?

I always try to do more than just scoring goals. The first in our team is of course Leo. I like to score goals when I have the opportunity, but I also to do other things on the pitch. I know that the coach also values that type of work.

Some say that a striker should be selfish…

I think yes, in the good meaning of this word.

And this means?

Always think about the team, when you’re preparing for the game, when you’re warming up to get ready to enter the pitch, you need to think about scoring goals. This is the selfishness I’m thinking about. You have to bear in mind: ‘today I need to score a goal’. I’m not talking about selfishness when your team mate is in a better position and you shoot on goal.

Did you feel bad when you played many games without scoring, and still your team won?

A striker always need goals to feel satisfied, but when the team wins a game, even without my goal, I have the feeling of participation in such a triumph.

Did you suffer because of not scoring?

I think that inside I didn’t feel that way, but it is true that there are plenty of strikers who are judged from outside [media] only because they score or not.

How [do you] keep focused on the goal?

I always think about the goal, try to do my work on the field but always with the hope of a goal, trying to be in the goal area, in the right place. There are very nice goals, passing three players and putting the ball into the top corner of the net, but there are goals that will rebound, that fell at your feet and you have to score. At the end of the day all are equal, the great goal or th simple shot.

Speaking about beautiful goals, Xavi said that he had never been so happy as when Villa scored in the final at Wembley.

I’m glad that Xavi said so, he knew what I wanted to do. To be part of the history of such a great team is the best that could happen. For me it was a very important goal because, although we controlled the game, 2-1 against Manchester United is always complicated. After that goal we realized that this final is ours. For all that this goal symbolized, for that mythical ground, for going so long time without scoring, for so many things, this goal is the most important in my life.

If you didn’t score at Wembley,  you still had 2 goals scored in 5-0 against Real Madrid.

It was a beautiful game for me. Maybe because this game was wonderful when it comes to collective effort as well as individual performence. The two [best] games of the last season were the 5-0 against Real Madrid and the final against Manchester. Those were beautiful. Historically, that was my first derby, with a 5-0 score and 2 goals scored by me, with great football. This is the game [for me] to remember for my whole life.

There were a lot of games against Real Madrid last season…

These were very tense matches, there were many moments that were not good for football at all. Playing four clasicos in 18 days, La Liga, Champions [Leauge] and Copa [del Rey] was very tense. I hope that in the next clasicos we won’t see such things.

And the Super Cup is just around the corner…

Yes, and we fight for a title, with a lot of tension.

Playing in Barça is easy or difficult?

I could give you a thousnd adjectives to describe how beautiful is to play at Barça. But it’s not easy for sure. It’s complicated. In Barça there are the chosen ones, the best. For me it was personal challenge and will be as long as I’m here. Playing in a team as good as Barça is a reason to be proud for anyone. I had an advantage because I knew many players [from the Spanish national team]. I had a dream, not only last year but the last three years when I was in Valencia, to play in Barcelona. When you have the best midfielders and passers in the world in your team you feel more comfortable.

You lived a case similar to Cesc Fabregas, his name is linked with Barcelona for several summers, and you waited three to sign a contract.

It’s pretty hard. I will try to talk with him, not to ask about how the transfer is going, because it’s crazy even without my questions, but to support him, ask if he needs something, to give some advice. I’ve also lived through it. I hope that this transfer will end like my case. He is strong, every summer he becomes more mature and we’re getting along better. Not only because he is my team mate [in the Spanish national team], but also because I’m his friend and I wish him all the best.

Alexis Sanchez said that the most important [thing] was the call he received from Pep. In your case was it the same?

Yes, when the coach of the best team in the world calls you directly, and you see all that great players in his team and he invites you to join, it’s clear that you close all other doors. It’s just like that with everyone. It’s an honor to become a cule for any player who arrives here, as it was with Alexis who had five or six very important offers but chose to play here.

Alves said one day that if Pep ordered him to jump out of the window he would do this, because for sure there is a good reason for the team. Is this level of trust necessary for a team of champions?

Yes, it’s one of the virtues of our coach. He analyzes everything very well, when he says something he usually convinces you, you believe what he’s saying. Everything he says, you know that it will be good for the team and for you.

Villa is the symbol of effort, since you were little you had to overcome many things, including a broken femur to move forward. Have you inherited this from your parents?

From my parents, especially. Not only in football but also in life which is not easy. Everything is achieved through hard work. I’m proud of how everything went. I was lucky that I broke my femur when I was four. I do not notice any bad effects nor even emotional ones because I do not remember this well.

When you were still in Valencia someone asked you to choose between Messi and Cristiano, and you answered Leo.

I haven’t seen anything like him on a football pitch. Look, there were many brilliant players throughout history, but with all respect to the opinions of other people, no one is even close to Leo.

Is it true that your point of reference last season was Pedro?

Yes, he’s played many years in Pep’s teams [Barça B, and now the first team]. Especially his movement on the pitch, it’s nearly perfect. For me he is the reference because he does exactly what the coach asks for. When I have questions of how to play I look at Pedro.

Can you give a message of reassurance to the fans before the Super Cup game?

It’s important to win and score many goals, but preseason has its own purpose, to prepare for the season. Winning is great for the morale of the team, but it’s not definitive. We believe that we will be ready to compete.

And to finish, one curiosity, your oldest daughter has been a fan of Puyol, even when you were playing in Valencia. Did she meet her idol?

Yes, at first it was dificult, she was shy, but now she has gained some confidence and is more relaxed when meeting Puyol.

Your first Blaugrana memories?

Romario and Ronaldo spent their best years in Barcelona. I wanted to be striker and since I was a small kid I’ve watched those two Brazilians. The first memories of attacking football are connected with Romario.

Did you have other idols from Barca?

Yes, in my room I had a picture of Guardiola, I didn’t say so to him because I’m a bit shy about it.