▁to ▁the ▁sc out ing ▁and ▁rec ruit ing ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁South ▁America ' s ▁top ▁football ▁talent , ▁namely ▁fellow ▁Argent ine ▁Lion el ▁Mess i . ▁ ▁Club ▁career ▁Born ▁in ▁C ór dob a , ▁C ór dob a ▁Province , ▁Vill ar real ▁began ▁playing ▁football ▁with ▁local ▁side ▁San ▁Lorenzo ▁de ▁Las ▁Fl ores ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 6 . ▁He ▁signed ▁with ▁Club ▁Atl ético ▁Bel gr ano ▁where ▁he ▁would ▁play ▁two ▁seasons ▁before ▁moving ▁to ▁B oca ▁Juni ors . ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁championship ▁in ▁his ▁five - year ▁st int ▁with ▁B oca ▁Juni ors . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁he ▁signed ▁for ▁B oca ' s ▁arch - rival s ▁River ▁Pl ate , ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁Vill ar real ▁played ▁one ▁season ▁in ▁France ▁at ▁Mont pel lier ▁before ▁moving ▁to ▁Mexican ▁side ▁C . F . ▁P ach uca ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁season . ▁Re occ urr ing ▁inj uries ▁forced ▁Vill ar real ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Argentina ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁for ▁his ▁home ▁side ▁Bel gr ano ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁He ▁played ▁in ▁Argentina ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁his ▁career ▁and ▁after ▁a ▁short ▁st int ▁at ▁Est udi antes ▁he ▁returned ▁once ▁more ▁before ▁ret iring ▁with ▁Bel gr ano ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁International ▁career ▁ ▁Vill