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 continued their perfect start in the Champions League and warmed up for the Clasico at the weekend with a 2-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.
The Spanish champions held off their Ukrainian visitors to take their third win from three games and put one foot into the knock-out stages after failing to progress in the past two seasons.
Ferran Torres opened the scoring for Barca with 20-year-old midfielder Fermin Lopez smashing home the second from the edge of the box.
THREE WINS, NINE POINTS! pic.twitter.com/BMTnDTP7IR — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 25, 2023
Heorhiy Sudakov pulled one back for Shakhtar after a Barca defensive lapse, creating a nervy finale for the hosts, but they held on to the three points.
After 17-year-old debutant Marc Guiu struck the winner against Athletic Bilbao at the weekend, Lopez's display meant it was another fine night for Barcelona's La Masia talent factory.
"He is a dynamic footballer," said Barca coach Xavi Hernandez.
"His attitude is amazing, he wants to learn, he wants to improve."
The coach said Lopez could be the latest in a long line of talents to break through and hold down a place in the team.
"I'm really happy about Fermin's performance, he can be a significant player for us and play for many years," added Xavi.
Lopez said he was grateful to have the chance to play for the Catalan giants.
"You never expect this but I've been working for it all my life and I'm grateful to Xavi and the club for the chance they've given me, I have to keep working," he told Movistar.
"We won, we got the victory which is what we wanted and now we'll think about the Clasico."
Joao Felix went off hurt in the final stages, with another injury the last thing Barca need, but he said on
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