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 ran out 2-0 winners against Osasuna on Thursday evening to set a date with Real Madrid in the Spanish Supercup final on Sunday night. Xavi Hernandez admitted after the match that their performance was not great but good – his particular praise went towards the substitutes.
Lamine Yamal, Joao Felix and Pedri all had a positive impact on the game when they came on, with the former two combining for their second goal. Felix went on a brilliant run to open up the defence, and Sporting Director Deco was delighted with him after the match.
“The first half was very even. We all know that Osasuna is a team that competes very well. In the second half, with the entry of Pedri and Joao Felix, the team had more ability to unbalance the defence and talent,” Deco told Sport.
De Jong: "Pedri is a player with extraordinary talent, he makes a difference, the game is more fluid when he is on the pitch. We are very happy to have him back."
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 11, 2024
Felix has come under severe pressure of late, as his performances have been declining in quality and frequency. That said, against Osasuna he looked sharp and hungry. Amid speculation that Barcelona have halted talks over Felix for next season, Xavi has also left him on the bench for three of the last four matches.
Deco has been one of his biggest backers. President Joan Laporta, agent Jorge Mendes and Deco have been angling for Felix’s signing, whereas Xavi seems more reticent, and it would be no surprise if Deco was hinting that he feels Felix should be in the starting XI ahead of Ferran Torres. He did admit that it wasn’t his decision to make though.
“Xavi is the one who decides. We have many quality players in those positions and it is logical that he
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