Xavi

Xavi is a Spanish professional footballer who currently plays as a central midfielder for Qatari club Al Sadd, and has previously played for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Born to a professional first division footballer, he learned team ethos at the Barcelona youth academy, La Masia, since he was eleven. He went on to help Barcelona win numerous titles, including eight La Liga and four Champions League tiles. He is the first Barcelona player to play 150 international matches. As part of the junior Spanish team, he won the U-20 World Cup in 1999, and also earned the Olympic Silver Medal at the 2000 Olympics. The Spanish national team won the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 Euro Cups primarily relying on his ability to make perfect passes. He has earned recognition as one of the greatest midfielders of all times and is regarded as the greatest Spanish player ever.

Club Career

Xavi made his first-team appearance in a match against Lleida on May 5, 1998, and scored his first goal three months later in the Super Cup final against Mallorca.

He made his first appearance in La Liga on October 3, 1998, in a game against Valencia, and was named 1999 La Liga ‘Breakthrough Player of the Year’ after winning the Spanish league.

He became the key playmaker for the team during the next season, and scored 7 goals, including 20 assists, in the next two seasons.

He was the vice-captain of the team during the 2004-05 season, in which Barcelona won La Liga and Supercopa de España, and was named the ‘La Liga Spanish Player of the Year’ in 2005.

He sustained a leg injury in the following season and had to rest for four months before returning to witness his club’s 2006 UEFA Champions League win. Barcelona also won La Liga and the Supercopa de España again that season.

During the 2008-09 season, he considered a transfer to Bayern Munich, but was convinced by coach Pep Guardiola to stay at Barcelona. He ended the season with 29 assists, including 20 in La Liga, becoming the highest assisting player.

He scored a goal in their 4-1 win against Athletic Bilbao in the 2009 Copa del Rey final and assisted in Lionel Messi’s header in their 2009 Champions League final win against Manchester United. His contributions won him the ‘UEFA Champions League best midfielder’ honor.

In the 2009-10 season, he became the highest assisting player once again and helped Barcelona win the La Liga title. He came third in the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or behind Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta.

In early 2011, he became the player with the most appearances for Barcelona, surpassing Migueli who previously held the record with 549 appearances. That year, they won the Champions League final against Manchester United and the FIFA Club World Cup final against Brazilian side Santos, in which he scored a goal and also made an assist.

The 2011-12 season was his career best in terms of goal-scoring. He had ten La Liga goals, one in the FIFA Club World Cup, and two in Copa del Rey, which they also won.

The 2014-15 season is the last he played for Barcelona, during which he made his 500th La Liga appearance. He was the captain of the team during the season, and played his final match as a substitute in their Champions League final win against Juventus.

Xavi signed a three-year contract with Qatari club Al Sadd in mid 2015, and made an assist in his debut match for the team in their 4-0 win over Mesaimeer on September 13, 2015. The 2017 Qatar Cup win was his first trophy with the team.