Few persons are higher positioned than Xavi Hernandez to inform Barcelona’s trendy story. A real icon of the membership, he was a key a part of arguably the very best membership workforce of all time below Pep Guardiola.
He lived by way of Luis Figo’s controversial departure, performed alongside Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, shared a midfield with Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, and ultimately returned to steer the membership from the dugout.
His managerial stint was a combined bag and the circumstances of his exit left a nasty style within the mouth, however he continues to be adored at Camp Nou.
Talking to e, Xavi mirrored on the gamers and concepts that formed his profession, whereas additionally discussing Lamine Yamal, his personal teaching spell and a number of the defining moments of Barça’s current historical past.
From Figo’s betrayal to Ronaldinho’s revival
Certainly one of Xavi’s earliest recollections concerned Figo leaving Barcelona for Actual Madrid in 2000.
“Figo was our chief and captain. It was a whole shock within the dressing room,” Xavi stated.
“Think about Lamine Yamal or Messi signing for Actual Madrid, that was the extent of impression.”
Xavi Hernandez has lived by way of one of the crucial wonderful chapters in Barcelona historical past. (Picture by Borja B. Hojas/Getty Pictures for Laureus)
Xavi believes the results went past dropping an excellent participant.
“Due to that departure, we suffered three to 4 years with out successful trophies,” he stated.
The temper ultimately modified with Ronaldinho’s arrival. For Xavi, the Brazilian’s affect prolonged far past his particular person brilliance.
“Ronaldinho modified our mentality on the identical degree as Johan Cruyff,” Xavi stated.
“When he arrived, we knew that having the very best participant on the planet meant we needed to win.”
“He introduced again smiles and pleasure to the membership. His decline was all the way down to mentality after successful all the things, not simply partying,” he added.
Xavi then touched upon the plain Cruyff affect, even when it occurred lengthy earlier than he wore soccer boots and took the sector at Camp Nou.
“He modified our mentality and the complete thought for Barcelona and Catalonia,” Xavi stated.
“It was about order, place, possession, and attacking bravely by way of triangles.”
Xavi additionally acknowledged how Cruyff’s philosophy instantly benefited him.
“I wasn’t quick or robust. With out Cruyff’s thought, I’d have by no means performed soccer within the 70s,” he stated.
Messi, Iniesta and Busquets
Then got here the technology that took Barcelona to extraordinary heights.
“Having Messi in your squad was like having Michael Jordan,” Xavi stated.
“At any time when the workforce struggled for 20 minutes, Leo would step up, create an opportunity, or rating a free-kick.”
“He was our joker card, mixed with an excellent work ethic and aggressive mentality,” he added.
Xavi was equally effusive along with his reward for his midfield companions, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.
“Iniesta is the best Spanish expertise I’ve ever seen,” he stated.
“He might play anyplace, use each toes, and glide previous defenders effortlessly.”
“Busquets is the very best No. 6 in soccer historical past,” Xavi stated.
“He was slower than me, however he processed each resolution earlier than the ball even arrived.”
Xavi couldn’t have been extra effusive in his reward for Andres Iniesta. (Picture by Claudio Villa/Getty Pictures)
That technical superiority was on the coronary heart of Barcelona’s 2011 Champions League remaining victory over Manchester United.
“Wembley 2011 was one of many most interesting video games of my profession,” Xavi stated.
“We revered Manchester United drastically, however our mannequin, possession, and tactical dominance made the distinction.”
“Listening to reward from Sir Alex Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand afterwards meant all the things to us,” he added.
Neymar, Suarez and Ibrahimovic
Xavi additionally appeared again fondly on Neymar’s spectacular time at Camp Nou.
“When Neymar arrived, he was flying,” Xavi stated.
“At his peak in Barcelona, he was the closest participant to Lionel Messi’s degree.”
“He might do something with the ball in coaching and on the pitch. Alongside Messi and Suarez, they fashioned an unstoppable ahead line,” he added.
Luis Suarez obtained equally vital reward.
“Alongside Samuel Eto’o, Luis Suarez was the very best No. 9 I ever performed with,” Xavi stated.
“He was a whole warrior on the pitch and intensely humble off it.”
“His bond with Messi and Neymar off the pitch made the MSN trio function so easily,” he added.
Xavi really believes Neymar’s peak was the closest anybody got here to Messi. (Picture by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Pictures)
Xavi additionally rejected the concept Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s troublesome ending at Barcelona mirrored dressing-room issues.
“Zlatan was good, humorous, and nice within the dressing room. We had an incredible relationship with him,” he stated.
“The difficulty was strictly tactical between him and Pep Guardiola when he spent the final three months on the bench. His pure expertise was top-tier,” Xavi added.
Lamine Yamal and the following technology
Having witnessed Messi’s rise first-hand as a team-mate, Xavi understands the burden of comparisons involving Lamine.
Nonetheless, the Spaniard is bullish that {the teenager} ol.
“I noticed Lamine when he was 15, and his decision-making was already flawless,” Xavi stated.
“Figuring out when to move, dribble, or cross at that age is reserved for true geniuses.”
“He has each functionality to turn out to be the defining participant of his technology, following Messi’s instance,” he added.
Xavi additionally in contrast Spain’s 2010 World Cup winners with the victorious 2026 technology.
“You can’t simply evaluate the generations,” Xavi stated.
“The 2010 workforce had unbelievable technical high quality in midfield with Iniesta, Silva, Fabregas, and Alonso.”
“The present workforce controls completely different phases, transitions, and counter-attacks with gamers like Lamine Yamal,” he added.
Xavi had a combined bag of success as Barcelona’s supervisor. (Picture by David Ramos/Getty Pictures)
Xavi displays on his Barcelona teaching spell
For all of the success Xavi skilled as a participant, managing Barcelona introduced a really completely different emotional burden.
“Teaching Barcelona is emotional and overwhelming as a result of the membership is in my coronary heart,” Xavi stated.
“When outcomes didn’t go our approach, I suffered personally.”
Xavi however stays pleased with what his employees achieved throughout a turbulent interval.
“We stepped in throughout one of many hardest financial and footballing moments in membership historical past, successful La Liga and a Supercopa, and I’m pleased with that work,” he stated.
After a break from the dugout following his Barcelona departure in 2024, Xavi is now starting a brand new chapter in administration.
The 46-year-old was appointed Netherlands head coach in August, signing a contract by way of the 2030 World Cup, and has already named his first squad forward of the Nations League.
It’s a becoming vacation spot contemplating how prominently Dutch soccer runs by way of Xavi’s personal story.
Cruyff’s concepts helped form the Barcelona during which he developed, whereas Louis van Gaal handed him his first-team debut and Frank Rijkaard later coached him at Camp Nou.
Barcelona followers will eternally comply with Xavi regardless of the place he goes in his profession, and it stays to be seen how his tenure as Oranje supervisor performs out.