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.
78 minutes into FC Barcelona's head-to-head with Athletic Club on Sunday night, Barça coach Xavi Hernández looked to the bench for a way to break through a resilient Athletic defence.
He made a double change: Alejandro Balde and Fermín López came off for Marcos Alonso and Marc Guiu. Barça had possession. Iñigo Martínez flicked forward a pass that broke the midfield line. João Félix received the ball and with a sensational piece of one-touch control played a through ball to Marc Guiu, who had just come on, to leave him one-on-one with Spain and Athletic Club number one keeper Unai Simón.
It took the 17-year-old just two touches – one to play the ball onto his right side, and another to finish into the back of the net – to go down in FC Barcelona history as the scorer of the fastest goal by a debutant in club history.
Guiu is a centre-forward who plays for the Juvenil `A' side of Barça's youth team, joining La Masia in 2013 as a seven-year-old. 10 years later, he is a classic number nine: physically imposing (1.87m), powerful with intensity and finishing ability. He's the Juvenil A side's top scorer this season with five goals and has already been handed a debut with FC Barcelona's reserve side by coach Rafael Marquez.
He has also stood out for the Spanish national team's youth ranks, playing alongside teammate Lamine Yamal at the U17 European Championships last season and scoring four goals. But nothing prepared him, or Barça's fans, for what happened on Sunday night after a call-up and first senior appearance for the senior side.
After the match he was on cloud nine: "I have dreamed so much about this moment," he said. “Many nights, and at many moments. We are always prepared; we do a very good job in the lower ranks
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