Xavi Hernandez - a legend of world football, a Spanish player who became one of the most influential and technically gifted players of his generation. He was born on January 25, 1980, in Terrassa, Spain, and displayed his football talent from a young age. Xavi became renowned for his outstanding passing skills and ball control. He possessed a unique ability to control the game on the field, distribute passes, and create attacks for his team.
He began his professional career in 1998, joining the youth team of Barcelona. Over time, he became an integral part of Barcelona's main squad and a product of the legendary La Masia academy. He spent 17 years at FC Barcelona, eventually becoming its captain and one of the main inspirations behind the "tiki-taka" style of play.
Xavi helped Barcelona win numerous domestic and international trophies, including 8 La Liga titles and 4 UEFA Champions League titles. He became the heart and soul of the team, and his on-field leadership was invaluable to Barcelona's success during that period. Xavi is also a key figure for the Spanish national team. With the national squad, he won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
His intellectual approach to the game and his ability to create opportunities for his teammates made him an irreplaceable player for the national team. After leaving Barcelona in 2015, Xavi moved to Qatari club Al-Sadd, where he continued to showcase his skills and leadership. He helped the team win several national titles and became a symbol of football development in Qatar.
In addition to his playing career, Xavi has shown an interest in coaching. He has completed coaching courses and expressed a desire to one day manage his former team, Barcelona. Xavi Hernandez is not only a player of exceptional class but also a symbol of virtuosity, game reading ability, and leadership on the field. His style and contribution to world football will be remembered by generations of fans.
Barcelona sporting director Deco has ruled out a move for Arsenal's Mikel Arteta ahead of current manager Xavi Hernandez's impending summer departure.
La Blaugrana are currently assessing potential options to replace Xavi at the helm in Catalunya, with the ex-midfielder recently announcing that he intends to leave the club in the summer.
Since Xavi announced he was leaving, Barca have been in thoroughly impressive form — enjoying a ten-game unbeaten run in all competitions, ending Atletico Madrid's unbeaten run at home in La Liga, and qualifying for the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2020.
This dramatic upturn in form has led to many believing that Xavi should remain in charge and reports have claimed there are three conditions which could tempt the manager to reconsider his decision — one of which is Barca specifically asking him to stay. Deco hasn't explicitly ruled that out.
If Xavi does leave, a list of candidates for the job have been drawn up, with Mikel Arteta reported to be being a favourite of Barca's hierarchy given his connection to the club. Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola and Porto's Sergio Conceicao have all also been linked.
Speaking about the rumours linking Barca with a move for Arteta, and other linked coaches, Deco told : «Nothing has been decided yet, but we are attentive.
»Of course I am charmed by Luis Enrique, he is a top coach. Obviously you can appreciate top managers like and as well, but they are not available. Just like Mikel Arteta, Andoni Iraola and Sergio Conceicao too. We haven't spoken with them at all and it’s pointless to mention them. We're not speaking to any manager yet."
Speaking in another interview previously, Deco admitted
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