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.
This interview was conducted alongside Lord Ping.
Where exactly are Barcelona under Xavi Hernandez? The former legendary midfielder has played under all of the fathers of Barcelona’s modern history, and yet still his side lacks a clear identity on the pitch, or certainly not one that comes from any of his coaches.
Coming through under Louis van Gaal, experiencing his first major spell of success with Frank Rijkaard, and cementing his place on the pantheon of midfield greats at the hand of Pep Guardiola, all three had a major impact on the Blaugrana coach. Van Gaal is known for his rigid positional play, and certainly the early versions of Xavi’s Barcelona were centred around width coming from the wingers on both flanks.
Having recently passed the two-year mark since he took over, it seems fair to say that Xavi’s Barcelona are closest to that Rijkaard, rather than Guardiola. Having played against two of Barcelona’s great sides in the 21st century, first for Chelsea and then for Arsenal, William Gallas told Football Espana what stood out to him as the key difference, being on the other side.
“It was a different period. Rijkaard’s Barcelona had Deco, Ronaldinho and a younger Lionel Messi. It was more individual than Pep’s Barcelona. They relied more on individuals. As Pep came in, Guardiola brought in more movement, playing more as a team. It would be a good game to watch to see Rijkaard’s Barcelona vs Guardiola’s Barcelona.”
Gallas was involved in three of the most iconic European ties involving Barcelona, and indeed, Lionel Messi. In 2009, Messi scored four against Arsenal at Camp Nou in a 6-3 aggregate win. In 2005, Chelsea knocked Barcelona out, but conceded one of the most memorable Ronaldinho goals of all time, his
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