FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Xavi Hernandez is a product of the FC Barcelona youth system, moulded in the image of his boyhood hero, Josep Guardiola, his predecessor in the Barcelona engine room. Xavi joined the club at the age of 11, making swift and impressive progress through their junior teams.
In the summer of 1998, the Spanish Supercup was the setting for Xavi’s first appearance in the senior side, marking his debut with a goal on an unforgettable day for the young star. The following season, Xavi was called into service following an injury to team captain Guardiola and he never looked back.

As the years have gone by, Xavi’s importance to the Barcelona cause has continued to grow, having remained an automatic choice in the side despite a host of coaching changes at the Camp Nou. His outstanding performances at the heart of the Azulgrana midfield saw him make his debut for the senior national team in 2000, although the gifted young Spaniard had already amassed a wealth of international experience. Xavi was a member of the golden generation that triumphed at the FIFA World Youth Championship Nigeria 1999, and a year later helped his side to a silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Prodigious talent
Xavi is a magnificent reader of the game and an excellent ball-winner. Besides which, the visionary playmaker is a creative genius and is outstanding going forward, being able to dictate the pace of the game almost at will. Xavi has an uncanny knack for picking the right moment to pierce the opposition defence with a perfectly-weighted through ball.

Hard work and skill earned him a place in the Spanish squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, although he played just 124 minutes in the Far East. Having featured in almost every qualifying game in the lead-up to UEFA Euro 2004, then coach Inaki Saez decided against using him at the tournament on Portuguese soil. Despite these disappointments, Xavi has become a key figure for Spain since the appointment of veteran coach Luis Aragones. The stocky midfielder broke his national team scoring duck in a friendly against China, and is becoming a more familiar face at set-pieces thanks to his formidable long-range shooting ability.

Unfortunately for the Barcelona star, a serious knee injury had seen his involvement at Germany 2006 cast into doubt. Nevertheless, his determination and hard-work in recovery have kept his FIFA World Cup dream alive, with the Spanish fans desperate to see him back in action and pulling the strings in midfield.

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UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

An FC Barcelona stalwart, Xavi Hernández filled the midfield anchorman role left by Josep Guardiola at his club and proves an integral squad member for Spain.

National team
Having played under Iñaki Sáez in the side that won the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, Xavi's senior Spain debut came in November 2000 against the Netherlands, and he later won his way into the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad. He played three times in Korea/Japan, but did not make it off the bench at UEFA EURO 2004™. However, he won a regular starting place in 2006 World Cup qualifying, and scored his first goal for Spain in a 3-0 friendly win against China.

Club
A product of the Barcelona academy, Xavi's debut in the first team was in the 1998 Spanish Super Cup against RCD Mallorca. Barcelona went on to win the league that season, with Xavi making 17 appearances and scoring a vital goal against Real Valladolid. He was soon a regular, and in 2001/02 played 14 times in their run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. One of the great moments of his career came in April 2004 as he scored the late winner that secured Barcelona's first victory at Real Madrid CF since November 1997, the Catalan side later claiming second place behind Valencia CF.

2004/05: Once again Xavi was the catalyst in many of the team's domestic and European wins. He missed just two league matches on the way to the title and scored three goals including a stunning, swerving volley to hand Barça victory against Albacete Balompié on 11 December. He was rewarded at the end of the season with a three-year contract extension until June 2010.

Did you know?
Xavi has turned down a number of big-money offers in order to stay with his beloved Barça.

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