Growing up fast

AS a child in northern Spain David Villa was nicknamed "the kid". But now he is all grown up and has led Spain to the quarterfinals of the 2008 Euro Cup. However, not everyone thought the 26-year-old Villa deserved to lead the team.

Before the tournament began many fans questioned whether Villa should have been playing for the national team at all. They wanted to see long time Spanish hero Raul on the squad . But Raul did not make the team. Instead Spain’s coach Luis Aragones trusted that Villa could do a better job.

Has Villa lived up to his coach''s expectations?

So far he has done more than anyone could imagine. Villa scored a hat trick against Russia in Spain''s first game and scored the game winner in the final minutes versus Sweden. With Villa and superstar Fernando Torres, who also scored a goal against Sweden, Spain has perhaps the best striker combination in football.

"There is no doubt it''s a massive advantage to have two players like Torres and Villa up front," Aragones told reporters. "They combine well. Great players can always play well together and I hope they carry on as they have done in the first two matches."

But this level of success is nothing new for Villa. In his first season with Spanish club powerhouse Valencia in 2005, Villa scored 25 goals in only 35 games, finishing one goal behind scoring leader Samuel Eto''o of Barcelona.

But it looks like his days playing club football in Spain are numbered.

"The Valencia president always told me he wouldn''t sell me until 2008. If an offer comes I''m hungry to test myself in England," Villa told the Sun newspaper. "I watch the Premier League a lot and the team I am most attracted to is definitely Arsenal."

But for now Villa is focused on his homeland and winning a Euro Cup. If that happens everyone will forget Raul is not on the team and remember that sometimes a kid can become a giant.