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 star Ilkay Gundogan’s praise of Pep Guardiola may come as a surprise to Jurgen Klopp.
The former Manchester City treble-winning captain switched the Etihad Stadium for the Camp Nou this summer, joining the LaLiga giants in a free transfer.
Ending his seven-year stint in Manchester by finally winning the Champions League, Gundogan has a trophy cabinet to envy.
Before that he won a Bundesliga crown and a German cup while at Borussia Dortmund, doing so under current Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
However, Gundogan has now admitted the tactical prowess that was required to take down Bayern Munich is nothing compared to what he learned at City under Guardiola.
Asked if the Spaniard’s methods can sometimes be too much, the 32-year-old said: “Well it can be sometimes, but I think in a good way.
“Seven years before I joined Man City I thought ‘I know football’ you know I was 25, 26 years old so I thought I’ve seen a lot, I’ve won league titles, cup titles.
“Now, standing here after seven years of Pep’s school, I probably would say I didn’t know anything about football before.
“So his influence, not just on the team, also on me personally, was just immense.
“The aspects, the little details of the game that he has taught me and showed to us I think is very special.”
Given his effusive praise of Guardiola, Gundogan’s new manager, Xavi Hernandez, will be delighted to have been compared to his old boss.
Asked about his previous and current manager, Gundogan said: «The style is very similar to what I played at City.
»Guardiola and Xavi are very similar. I felt a connection with Xavi from the first moment we spoke.
“When I spoke to him I knew they were on the right track. It's an incredible team and an opportunity to be able to play in
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