Xavi Hernández, born Xavier Hernández Creus on January 25, 1980, in Terrassa, Spain, is a retired Spanish footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time. He spent the majority of his playing career at Barcelona, where he emerged from La Masia, the club’s renowned youth academy.

Xavi played a key role in Barcelona’s dominance during the 2000s and 2010s, winning numerous domestic and international titles, including eight La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League titles. Known for his exceptional vision, passing accuracy, and control of the game’s tempo, Xavi epitomized the “tiki-taka” style of play that became synonymous with Barcelona and the Spanish national team.

With Spain, Xavi won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012, playing an instrumental role in their success.

After retiring as a player, Xavi transitioned into coaching. He began his managerial career with Qatari club Al Sadd, where he enjoyed success, winning domestic titles and earning praise for his tactical approach. Xavi’s coaching philosophy emphasizes possession-based football and high pressing, influenced by his time at Barcelona.

Throughout his career, Xavi has been revered for his footballing intelligence, leadership, and humility, leaving an indelible mark on the sport both as a player and as a coach.

Xavi Quotes

1. “I spend the entire 90 minutes looking for space on the pitch. I’m always between the opposition’s two holding midfielders and thinking, ‘The defence is here, so I get the ball and I go there to where the space is.’“
— Xavi

2. “There are two types of football – there’s physical football and football talent.”
— Xavi

3. “You pressure, you want possession, you want to attack. Some teams can’t or don’t pass the ball. What are you playing for? What’s the point? That’s not football. Combine, pass, play. That’s football – for me, at least.”
— Xavi

4. “In football, the result is an impostor. You can do things really, really well but not win. There’s something greater than the result, more lasting – a legacy.”
— Xavi

5. “England really is the birthplace, the heart and soul of football. If Barcelona had Liverpool’s fans, or Arsenal’s, or United’s, we’d have won 20 Champions Leagues, hahaha!”
— Xavi

6. “I like to read the papers. I make my living from football, and I like to know what’s going on.”
— Xavi

7. “I don’t actually watch many shows. I will either watch movies or football. I enjoy to watch games in the Premier League and will also watch movies a lot as well. That is how I relax.”
— Xavi

8. “Like so many of the players, I started at La Masia at the age of 11. I can’t ever imagine not playing for Barcelona, let alone not playing soccer for a career. I don’t ever want to play anywhere else.”
— Xavi

9. “I think Barcelona and the Spanish national team have been good for soccer because there are a lot of teams that come up playing from the back: with the goalie, the defense, moving up a defender to midfield, playing attacking soccer. I think fans want to see that. They want to see beautiful soccer, a spectacle, and Barcelona does that.”
— Xavi

10. “I’d love to play at Wembley. It’s special for Barca – and for everyone in football.”
— Xavi

11. “In England, footballers are respected more, the game is more noble, there’s less cheating. Every Spaniard who goes loves it – and comes back a better player. If I had ever left, it would have been to England.”
— Xavi

12. “There are a lot of teams that don’t want to play, that only want to defend against Barcelona, and that makes it difficult. We’re always looking for the open space. A lot of times we’ll face six defenders and four midfielders.”
— Xavi

13. “It will be difficult to finish my career here. I don’t know if I am going to end it at Barcelona, although I would like to. I don’t know what is going to happen.”
— Xavi

14. “Ibiza is a popular vacation place for a lot of the players in Spain. If you go in the summer, there are some of the world’s most famous movie and music stars, so nobody cares about soccer players.”
— Xavi

15. “I’ve no regrets at all, but I still think at times that I would have loved to play in England. You live football over there; it’s a great culture. People respect you more; it’s more difficult to find respect in Spain. There is more criticism here.”
— Xavi