Ángel María Villar

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Ángel María Villar

| image = Ángel María Villar.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Villar in 2009

| order =

| office = Senior Vice President of FIFA

| term_start = 16 March 2017

|president = Gianni Infantino

| term_end = 27 July 2017

| predecessor = Issa Hayatou

| successor = David Chung

| office1 = First Vice President of UEFA

| term_start1 = 1992

| president1 = Lennart Johansson
Michel Platini
Aleksander Čeferin

| term_end1 = September 2017

| predecessor1 =

| successor1 =

| office2 = Acting President of UEFA

| term_start2 = 9 October 2015

| term_end2 = 14 September 2016

| predecessor2 = Michel Platini

| successor2 = Aleksander Čeferin

| order3 = 24th President of the

| office3 = Royal Spanish Football Federation

| term_start3 = 29 June 1988

| term_end3 = 27 July 2017

| predecessor3 = José Luis Roca

| successor3 = Juan Luis Larrea (interim)
Luis Rubiales

| birth_name = Ángel María Villar Llona

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|1|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bilbao, Spain

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 1.79 m

| occupation = Footballer (retired)

| signature =

| signature_alt =

| module =

{{Infobox football biography | embed = yes | header-color = lavender

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1961–1969 | youthclubs1 = Athletic Bilbao

| years1 = 1969–1981 | clubs1 = Athletic Bilbao | caps1 = 291 | goals1 = 8

| years2 = 1969–1970 | clubs2 = → Galdakao (loan) | caps2 = 18 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 1970–1971 | clubs3 = → Getxo (loan) | caps3 = 23 | goals3 = 1

| totalcaps = 332 | totalgoals = 10

| nationalyears1 = 1972 | nationalteam1 = Spain amateur | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1973–1979 | nationalteam2 = Spain | nationalcaps2 = 22 | nationalgoals2 = 3

| nationalyears3 = 1978–1980 | nationalteam3 = Basque Country | nationalcaps3 = 4 | nationalgoals3 = 0

}}

Ángel María Villar Llona (born 21 January 1950) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

After having represented Athletic Bilbao for one decade (appearing in more than 350 official matches and scoring 11 goals),{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1975/05/23/MD19750523-002.pdf|title=Los cachorros son casi leones|trans-title=The pups are almost lions|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=B.|last=Domínguez|language=Spanish|date=23 May 1975|accessdate=7 December 2015}} he went on to serve as president of the Spanish Football Federation for almost 30 years.

Villar was a Spain international in the 70s.

Club career

Villar was born in Bilbao, Biscay, and emerged through the youth ranks of local Athletic Bilbao, going on to make his senior debut in amateur football on loan,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.elmundodeportivo.es/preview/1974/01/20/pagina-14/993541/pdf.html?search=Villar|title=Villar: "Aspiramos al título como el Barcelona"|trans-title=Villar: "We are title challengers as Barcelona"|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=Spanish|date=20 January 1974|accessdate=26 January 2010}} after which he returned in 1971. He was an undisputed starter in nine of his ten seasons with the Basque side, helping them to two Copa del Rey finals and winning the 1973 edition.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1973/06/30/pagina-3/988764/pdf.html|title=2–0: No tuvo rival serio en el Castellón|trans-title=2–0: Castellón were no serious match|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Juan Antonio|last=Calvo|language=Spanish|date=30 June 1973|accessdate=19 May 2016}}

In March 1974, during a 0–0 La Liga home draw against FC Barcelona, Villar elbowed opposing superstar Johan Cruyff, as the Dutch was subject to severe man-marking by several Athletic players.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.elmundodeportivo.es/preview/1974/03/25/pagina-5/997903/pdf.html|title=0–0: El "Barça" no acertó a concretar su superioridad|trans-title=0–0: "Barça" could not translate their superiority into goals|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Juan Antonio|last=Calvo|language=Spanish|date=25 March 1974|accessdate=26 January 2010}} He eventually received a four-match ban for his actions, but the pair later reconciled,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.elmundodeportivo.es/preview/1974/03/27/pagina-30/999868/pdf.html?search=Villar|title=Villar: "Quiero olvidarlo todo y pronto"|trans-title=Villar: "I want to forget everything and quickly"|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=Spanish|date=27 March 1974|accessdate=26 January 2010}} and Villar retired seven years later with 361 competitive appearances for his main club.{{cite news|url=https://athletic.elcorreo.com/noticias/2013-04-12/villar-tiempos-athletic-ganaba-201304121930.html|title=Villar: "En mis tiempos el Athletic ganaba cuatro de cada diez partidos al Madrid... Hoy empata uno o dos"|trans-title=Villar: "In my day Athletic defeated Madrid four times every ten matches... Today they draw once or twice"|newspaper=El Correo|first=Javier|last=Ortiz de Lazcano|language=Spanish|date=12 April 2013|accessdate=18 April 2023}}

International career

Villar played 22 times for Spain, scoring three goals.{{cite web|url=https://www.rtve.es/deportes/20170718/angel-maria-villar-casi-tres-decadas-frente-del-futbol-espanol-sin-apenas-oposicion/1583080.shtml|title=Villar, casi tres décadas al frente del fútbol español sin apenas oposición|trans-title=Villar, nearly three decades in charge of Spanish football with nary an opposition|publisher=RTVE|language=Spanish|date=18 July 2017|accessdate=18 April 2023}} His debut came on 17 October 1973 in a 0–0 friendly with Turkey, in Istanbul.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1973/10/18/pagina-3/987943/pdf.html|title=0–0: España se defendió sin ahogos ante Turquia|trans-title=0–0: Spain had no problem fending off Turkey|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=Spanish|date=18 October 1973|accessdate=6 May 2014}}

On 9 December 1979, his last cap, Villar helped the nation to qualify for UEFA Euro 1980, scoring in a 3–1 win in Cyprus.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1979/12/10/pagina-3/1050369/pdf.html|title=1–3: Era tan difícil no ganar...|trans-title=1–3: It was so difficult not to win...|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Andrés|last=Astruells|language=Spanish|date=10 December 1979|accessdate=6 May 2014}} He did not participate, however, in any major international tournament.

Villar also represented the unofficial Basque Country team.{{cite news|url=https://www.deia.eus/athletic/2011/12/16/hincha-mejor-club-mundo-5486726.html|title="Soy hincha del mejor club del mundo"|trans-title="I support the biggest club in the world"|newspaper=Deia|first=José Luis|last=Artetxe|language=Spanish|date=16 December 2011|accessdate=18 April 2023}}

Post-retirement

In 1979, still as an active player, Villar majored in law,{{cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/la-rioja/noticia-angel-maria-villar-ofrecera-charla-santo-domingo-calzada-futbol-vinculacion-ciudad-20210826092052.html|title=Ángel María Villar ofrecerá una charla en Santo Domingo de la Calzada sobre el fútbol y su vinculación con la ciudad|trans-title=Ángel María Villar will lecture in Santo Domingo de la Calzada on football and its link to the city|publisher=Europa Press|language=Spanish|date=26 August 2021|accessdate=18 April 2023}} and would practice the activity during the following years, which he accumulated with several posts in the footballing hierarchies – he was one of the founders of the Association of Spanish Footballers in 1978.{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/deportes/2017/07/23/la-mentira-del-dirigente-honrado-494450.html|title=La mentira del dirigente "honrado"|trans-title=The lie of the "honourable" director|newspaper=Heraldo de Aragón|first=Ignacio|last=Tylko|language=Spanish|date=23 July 2017|accessdate=18 April 2023}}

Having already worked in the Royal Spanish Football Federation under president José Luis Roca, Villar was elected his successor in 1988. He was in charge as the national team won the 2010 FIFA World Cup as well as the 2008 and 2012 European Championships.{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2021/12/21/mas_futbol/1640089234_561043.html|title=¿Qué fue de... Ángel María Villar?|trans-title=What happened to... Ángel María Villar?|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Fernando|last=Sánchez Tavero|language=Spanish|date=21 December 2021|accessdate=18 April 2023}}

Villar also occupied several roles within UEFA and FIFA, being named the organizations' vice president, respectively in 1992 and 2002. Following Spain's controversial exit at the 2002 FIFA World Cup,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/2142882.stm|title=Ghandour sees red|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Amr|last=Shaheen|date=21 July 2002|accessdate=26 January 2010}} he left his post at the latter, but was immediately named, amongst others, for the presidency of the Referees' Committee; also that year, he was named for that position at UEFA.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01c5-0f84b6ede990-ac3038ed9889-1000--referees-given-full-backing/|title=Referees given full backing|publisher=UEFA|date=5 September 2007|accessdate=19 May 2016}}

Villar led the unsuccessful Spain and Portugal 2018 World Cup bid.{{cite news|url=http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/214568/Give-us-2018-and-we-ll-let-you-have-a-cheap-submarine|title=Give us 2018 and we'll let you have a cheap submarine|newspaper=Daily Express|first=David|last=Miller|date=30 November 2010|accessdate=11 May 2014}} On 16 February 2012, he was elected for his seventh term at the helm of the Spanish Federation, remaining in office until 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news/01fa-0e7be2bb97f6-20b02ea18dd7-1000--angel-maria-villar-llona-re-elected-rfef-president/|title=Ángel María Villar Llona re-elected RFEF president|publisher=UEFA|date=17 February 2012|accessdate=18 April 2023}}

Following the suspension of Michel Platini in October 2015, Villar became UEFA's acting president.{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/story/2653219/sepp-blatter-and-michel-platini-get-provisional-fifa-bans|title=FIFA suspends Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini for 90 days; Chung for six years|publisher=ESPN FC|date=8 October 2015|accessdate=19 May 2016}} The following month, he was fined 25,000 Swiss francs and warned by the FIFA Ethics Committee for failing to cooperate with the investigation into the bidding process of the 2018 World Cup.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/fifa-corruption-investigation-uefa-vice-president-angel-villar-llona-fined-and-warned-over-refusing-a6733066.html|title=Fifa corruption investigation: Uefa vice-president Angel Villar Llona fined and warned over refusing to help 2018 World Cup investigation|newspaper=The Independent|first=Martyn|last=Ziegler|date=13 November 2015|accessdate=23 May 2016|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/fifa-corruption-investigation-uefa-vice-president-angel-villar-llona-fined-and-warned-over-refusing-a6733066.html|archive-date=7 May 2022}}

On 18 July 2017, Villar was arrested on suspicion of embezzling funds.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40642635|title=Spain football chief Angel Maria Villar Llona arrested|publisher=BBC News|date=18 July 2017|accessdate=18 July 2017}} Nine days later, he resigned from his post at both FIFA and UEFA.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jul/27/angel-maria-villar-resigns-uefa-fifa-spain|title=Ángel María Villar resigns from Uefa and Fifa positions after arrest in Spain|newspaper=The Guardian|date=27 July 2017|accessdate=10 October 2017}}

Personal life

Villar's niece, María Villar Galaz, was kidnapped and murdered in Toluca, Mexico in September 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37427495|title=Spanish football chief's niece killed after kidnapping|publisher=BBC News|date=21 September 2016|accessdate=21 September 2016}}

Honours

Athletic Bilbao

Copa del Rey: 1972–73; runner-up: 1976–77{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1977/06/26/pagina-4/1030780/pdf.html|title=2–2: Los andaluces remontaron dos ventajas vascas|trans-title=2–2: The Andalusians countered Basques' advantage twice|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Ramón|last=Rovira|language=Spanish|date=26 June 1977|accessdate=6 April 2017}}
UEFA Cup runner-up: 1976–77{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/match/64810--athletic-club-vs-juventus/|title=Athletic 2–1 Juventus|publisher=UEFA|accessdate=6 April 2017}}