Spain's David Villa ruled out of Euro 2012

Spain's alltime highest goal scorer David Villa has informed Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque he has not fully recovered from a broken leg suffered in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup last December and ruled himself out of their title defence at the 2012 European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine, the Spanish federation confirmed yesterday.

In December 2011 I had written following article after David Villa's injury: Will David Villa be fit again for Euro2012?

"Villa spoke with the national team coach this afternoon, after the team arrived in Schruns, Austria (for a pre-tournament training camp)," the Spanish federation (RFEF) statement read.

"After failing to achieve the desired progress in recent training sessions, Villa spoke with del Bosque and told him although he would like to be with the team in Poland and Ukraine, his physical state 'isn't the best' for a competition like the Euros."

"The RFEF and Spain's coaching staff wish the player all the best in his recovery and hope he will return soon to the national team, and value the effort made by David to get back to full fitness," the statement ended.

David Villa was a key player in Spain's title triumphs at Euro2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Villa is Spain record goal scorer with 51 goals in 82 international matches.

Villa follows FC Barcelona team mate Carlos Puyol, who also had to pull out of Spain's squad due to injury. Now the focus will be on Chelsea striker Fernando Torres, Valencia's Roberto Soldado, Sevilla's Alvaro Negredo and Atletico Madrid's Adrian Lopez who look certain to be in the squad with Bilbao's Fernando Llorente and Barca's Pedro fighting for a last spot upfront.