Giuseppe Rossi: The legendary Villarreal goalscorer
Giuseppe Rossi, is a name who will live long in the memory of all Villarreal fans. Raised by Italian immigrant parents in New Jersey, USA and playing at a high level from a young age, Rossi showed potential and promise of a bright future. Manchester United signed Rossi at age 17, and he would go on to spend several important formative years at the club. In 2007, Giuseppe found a home in the Spanish club, Villarreal. In fewer than 200 appearances for the club the tenacious forward managed to score 82 times, 64 within LaLiga alone, making him Villarreal’s most prolific goal scorer of all time.
Rossi hit the ground running, scoring a great goal in his debut game against Valencia, leaving fans excited about the rising star. He went on to score an impressive eleven goals that season despite missing a fair amount of games due to meniscus damage. Instantly a fan favourite, Rossi was given the nickname Pepito Rossi, a reference to a great Italian footballer from the 80s. It was the next few seasons, 2008 to 2011, where Rossi would showcase his gift. Gorgeous long balls, spectacular shots from distance, and touches so soft an egg would survive the collision, there was nothing Pepito didn’t do for the Yellow Submarine.
The 2010/2011 season proved to be Rossi’s best, scoring 32 goals in 56 appearances, leading the Villarreal squad to a fourth-place finish in La Liga as well qualifying the team for the Champions League. An escape artist, the ability to stop on a dime seemed like second nature for Rossi, quickly heading in one direction while sending the defender in another. His ability in link-up play gave him an added versatility to play numerous positions around the pitch. Despite his small stature, Pepito attracted the lion’s share of attention from opposing defences due to his incredible change of pace, deft left foot, and off the ball movement.
In April 2012 the recurrence of a torn ACL in his right knee ended what looked to be a promising start to the season. While injuries have robbed Rossi of some playing time in recent years, his perseverance and success in spite of these injuries is a testament to his character on and off the pitch. While being interviewed during his injury turmoil he stated: “I love the game too much to quit,” and “I sacrificed too much to do that, I love this game so much, I could never leave it and say it is done. Nothing can take football away from me, it’s my little baby, my love.” Villarreal wasn’t just a stop in the road for Rossi. During an interview after his departure with the team he stated: “Villarreal is like a second family because of how they behaved with me for five years.” He also credited his success to Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini saying: “I became a better player and picked up so much thanks to his coaching style, his wanting us to express futbol on the field”. This player coach duo led to personal success for Rossi as well as league success for the team. Villarreal is often described as a small but successful club, an underdog. Giuseppe embodied Villarreal’s identity, as he represented the club with tenacity and fearlessness, inspiring teammates and fans to be at the top of their game
