STAR striker David Villa, Spain’s top goal scorer, announced Wednesday he was quitting professional soccer at the end of the season.

The 37-year-old is currently playing for Vissel Kobe in Japan after a glittering career at international and club level that has included stints at Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Valencia.

Villa played in three World Cups and was a member of the Spanish side that lifted the trophy in 2010, and won the European Championships in 2008.

He netted 59 times for Spain, a national record.

At Vissel Kobe, he played alongside fellow Spanish legend Andres Iniesta and German striker Lukas Podolski but the presence of the foreign stars has done little to bring success to the ambitious Japanese club.

(SD-Agencies)