The Uprising of FC Barcelona Legend Xavi Hernandez
A bright future requires the establishment of a strong foundation and this is only executed well when the path to success is followed and the determination to fight the world exists in mind. We have seen a lot of examples where people become achieve greatness, gain popularity, and set an example that is remembered for decades.
It does not matter what your age is, motivation is something that makes us do things out of our comfort zone, work hard, and become dedicated to reach a level that is a dream for many. In the football industry, we have witnessed many cases where we see the right approach of knowledge and hunger to become a successful player being used in the perfect way to get the best outcome.
Xavier Hernandez Creus was born in Terrassa, Spain, and started his football training when he was 11 years old. He was born in a family where his father was a former first-division football player and his older brother is also a former player and a manager. Making the best use of the background that he had, Xavi started training when he was 11 years old and joined Terrassa FC. He made his way into the Barcelona youth system and also became an important asset for the junior squad.
In this article we will be taking a look at the complete journey of Xavi, how he turned himself into one of the greatest of all time and the second most decorated Spanish player in history.
Club Career:
Xavi’s professional football career started with Barcelona and the first tournament that he played with the team was Copa Catalunya his first goal came in the 1998 Supercopa de España against Mallorca and made his La Liga debut against Valencia.
The start of his journey was not on a high note but soon there was an improvement in his performance and his impressive game style made him a key member of the title-winning team. His first season ended with 26 matches played and it was enough for him to get himself the 1999 La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year award and also become an important playmaker in the next season.
Xavi did not leave Barcelona’s hand in its toughest phase as the club was on the verge of bankruptcy but Xavi gave his best for the team and was named as the vice-captain for the 2004 season due to his exceptional performance and determination for the club. The trust that Barcelona had in Xavi was never shattered and he was named the La Liga Spanish Player of the Year in 2005 for his incredible gameplay.
At the start of the 2005 season, he tore his ligament in the left knee while training and was ruled out of the squad for the next 4 months. However, his comeback is one of the best as he roared on the field winning the La Liga and Supercopa de España once again.
| Xavi | |
| Games | 925 |
| Goals | 109 |
| Assists | 213 |
Xavi was creating history, adding one after the other complements to his legacy and he was also in talks with Bayern Munich regarding his transfer but he was convinced by his manager that he was an important asset for the team and should stay with Barcelona. Continuing his journey with Barcelona, he won the 2009 Champions League final and was highly praised by many footballing legends. He was voted for UEFA Champions League best midfielder during the campaign as he performed far-fetched.
Finally realising his importance in the club he decided to stay with Barcelona and signed a new contract at 7.5 million euros per year which made him the biggest earning member of Barcelona. He also topped the assist table in the 2009 season winning the La Liga title once again. He was one of the three finalists for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or. In 2011 Xavi made his 549th appearance for Barcelona and became the player with the most appearances for the club of all time.
Xavi’s career can be considered legendary because there was hardly a title left that he did not win with Barcelona and Spain. Performing exceptionally well and proving himself on all the stages he proved his words in the team and was named in the FIFA World 11. In 2014 Xavi made his 700th appearance for Barcelona and ended the season by winning in the Copa del Rey finals. Playing a total of 767 matches for the club he became an important part of the history of Barcelona. It is evident from his club timeline that he spent the major part of his career in Barcelona and he announced his departure in 2015.
In 2015, Xavi announced his joining Al Sadd in Qatar. It was known that he had joined the club on a 3-year contract and this deal would involve him becoming an ambassador for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. It was an emotional time for fans and the club to see a legend leave and play for a different club. His first season with the club went well, ending up in the third position and qualifying for the next season’s AFC Champions League. He won his first trophy with the club in the Qatar Cup Final in 2017. After having a decent career with the club he announced his retirement in 2019 and also revealed that he wanted to look forward to begin a coaching career.
International Career:
Xavi played for the Spanish National Football Team at the 2000 Olympics and he was also the part of 1999 that won FIFA World Youth Championship. As we know he started playing at a very small age he had a good experience of the game and his understanding was considered a valuable asset for the national team.
Xavi was named in the Euro 2008 tournament where he was considered one of the most dominating players on the field and his game-reading skills were widely appreciated by the world. He performed fabulously throughout the campaign and played an important role in Spain’s victory in the Euro 2008.
Considering his prime form he was one of the priorities in the 2010 World Cup where Spain won their first World Cup. It’s interesting to know how he contributed to the World Cup and what played a key role in the win. Xavi was the player who provided the most accurate passes throughout the tournament with a total of 599 passes. He became the most successful Spanish player of the campaign and performed incredibly.
| Xavi | |
| Games | 133 |
| Goals | 12 |
| Assists | 25 |
Xavi played for the national team at Euro 2012 and again proved himself as one of the most important players with a success rate of 94% and 127 accurate passes completed. He set a record for the most accurate passes and performed better than any other player in European Championship matches. He was widely appreciated and loved for his performance in the finals, he greatly assisted Jodi Alba and Fernando Torres and became the first player to register assists in two European Championship Finals.
A Legend of the Game:
Any list consisting of the greatest midfielders in the history of Football is incomplete without Xavi. His contribution to the Spanish football team and his performance in the 2010 FIFA World Cup can never be forgotten by anyone as he gave his heart and soul to win the first-ever World Cup for his country. Not only appreciating his international success but keeping in mind the valuable contribution to his club career he can be considered as a legend of Barcelona. His accurate passing techniques coordination and domination on the field had always been a treat for the fans to watch.
Undoubtedly it can be considered that Xavi is a legend of the game and his valuable guidance and passion for the sport is still alive through his coaching career till the current date. There will be many midfielders many of them will achieve a lot of honors but there will be not another Xavi ever again.
