Xavi Hernández

Lore & Background

Xavi joined La Masia at age 11 and made his first-team debut against Mallorca in August 1998. He spent most of his playing career at Barcelona, playing 767 official matches and scoring 85 goals. He was part of a midfield trio with Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Busquets that won five La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey titles, and three Champions League titles, including two continental trebles. He left Barcelona for Al Sadd in 2015, winning six trophies before retiring in 2019. With Spain, he won the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1999, Olympic silver in 2000, and was capped 133 times. He played an integral role in Spain's 2010 World Cup win and their Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 victories. After retirement, he managed Al Sadd, winning seven trophies, then became Barcelona manager in November 2021, winning the 2023 Supercopa de España and the 2022–23 La Liga.

Reader's Guide

Xavi is widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, renowned for his exceptional passing and vision. He is the all-time Spanish top assist provider in the UEFA Champions League with 30 assists. He came third in the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year and FIFA Ballon d'Or, and third in the Ballon d'Or in 2010 and 2011. He was runner-up for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award in 2011. He won the Prince of Asturias Award in 2012 and the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker award four times from 2008 to 2011. He was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI six times and the UEFA Team of the Year five times. In 2020, he was named in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team.

Did You Know?

• Xavi is the first player in Barcelona's history to play 150 European and FIFA Club World Cup matches combined.
• He became the first player to make assists in two separate European finals with two assists in the UEFA Euro 2012 Final.
• Xavi was named Player of the Tournament at UEFA Euro 2008.
• He made his senior debut for Spain in 2000 and announced his international retirement after the 2014 FIFA World Cup.