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 are still looking at options for the right-back position, and the latest name to appear will be familiar to Real Madrid fans.
According to La Portera de Nunez, Xavi is a fan of Real Mallorca right-back Pablo Maffeo, who he sees not only as a good option, but someone who would cost less than Ivan Fresneda.
The Real Valladolid teenager is on the agenda of a number of clubs if reports are to be believed, yet is likely to cost around €15m or more.
Maffeo, 26, has made 73 appearances for Mallorca in the last two seasons (3 goals, 8 assists), after joining initially on loan, before Los Bermellones executed their €3.5m buy option from Stuttgart. Originally coming through the Espanyol academy, then moving to the Manchester City academy, Maffeo has both Spanish and Argentine heritage, and has appeared for Espanyol B, Girona and Huesca before reaching Stuttgart.
With a deal until 2026, it is not yet clear how large his release clause is. Maffeo is a pacy but gritty defender, who plays as a wing-back for Javier Aguirre’s side. Previously he has been involved in several battles with Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, including one where he committed an awful knee-height challenge on Vinicius, which went without a red card – much to Madridista outrage. Last time out Maffeo got the better of both though, as Mallorca secured a 1-0 win over Los Blancos.
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