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.
Xavi's stay as FC Barcelona boss looked to be over in a couple months' time, but new developments suggest this is no longer the case
After initially announcing he would be departing the club he once captained as a player at the end of this season, it is reported that the 44-year-old has tracked back on that decision.
Read: Liverpool find Klopp successor or Ten Hag 2.0?
This comes after what has been described as a "dramatic" meeting between the Spanish tactician and the side's hierarchy took place at Barca president Joan Laporta's home on Wednesday night.
“Xavi will stay, he's really happy and excited," Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste told reporters after the discussion, per The Guardian.
"We've never opened talks for any other coach."
Yuste went on to add that Blaugrana director Deco has trust in the current boss, with the pair said to have met earlier this week.
It is believed Laporta was pushing to keep the Spaniard at the club beyond the end of the current campaign.
Get the latest soccer news and be ahead of the game. Follow our WhatsApp Channel via this link!
The club is in the process of planning a formal announcement soon, with it said that Xavi will now stay on until the end of his current deal, which is scheduled for June 2025.
When initially announcing his decision to leave the club, Xavi alluded to his work "not being appreciated" following a 5-3 home defeat to Villarreal in January.
Since then, however, Barca had not lost a league match until their 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid on Sunday.
The side went on to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, but were knocked out after suffering a 4-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, losing the tie 6-4 on aggregate.
Read: Manchester City
Read on snl24.com