Xavi, the legend

I often wonder what Barça would be like, if we didn’t have Xavi Hernández. If he had accepted that offer from Milan when he was 18. Or just left for England at some point. I do not know the answer and, fortunately, do not need to. Xavi is part of us, he is more an institution than only a player. He is like the Camp Nou: he came one day and never left. He is the heart of this team. Proof of this is in his recent record as the Barça player that has won the most trophies. He has won 18 of them throughout his career so far, 1 more than Guillermo Amor, the previous ultimate winner for Barça (see details here).

He was important to the team from the start of his career. One of his first goals was against Valladolid in 1998, when he scored a header in a tough game, ending a bad run for Barça and opening the chance for his first La Liga title, which happened later that season.

Over a few rough years, when he was often compared with Pep Guardiola, he went through several coaches, as the club was struggling to find some long awaited stability. In 2002, Barça was going through its worst La Liga start of all time. Nothing was working for the team. But somehow, at some point that season, history finally turned in Barça’s favour. Much had to do with a new coach, Radomir Antic, who gave Barça a new air, but also the midfield was given more importance. Barça came back to its roots, coming back to ball possession as their main strength. And one night, in February 2003, Xavi took charge. Scoring one goal against Espanyol and turning back Barça’s fate. That day also, Xavi suffered a horrible injury, he hurt his shoulder. The doctor “fixed him” in the ground, but he felt the pain, and then scored.

From that day his game kept improving. Barça fans and specialists see in him the brain of this team, whereas Puyol might be the heart and Messi its soul. He is the one that dictates the fate of Barça and also their rivals: whatever he wants, it is done in the football ground. His main strength might be his vision to construct play after play, find the right team mate to pass the ball to and never, never lose it. In a way, he is the architect of the modern history of our team.

Most people can see him in the central part of the midfield, but in recent years we have seen his game become even more complete, if possible. He has gained in mobility and sense of location; he is everywhere, either to fight for a ball or to receive it and start an attack, and mostly to end it with a genius pass. Barça strikers are undoubtedly blessed having him as the main source of plays that they use to end in a goal.

But, besides being a master of the midfield, Xavi has been involved in several magic moments of our recent history also as an executor. It is easy to remember him scoring since the earlier stages of his career. Even his first goal was of huge importance. Then, the goal in Montjuic in 2003. A year later, that goal in the Bernabeu, the first time he beat Casillas. That day it was also a new beginning for Barça-Madrid games: that day, we stopped losing and started winning.

A few years later, in 2010, he repeated the move in a similar goal, being the first of five goals that have had a huge effect on both teams -more for Madrid probably. And months later, he scored against Arsenal a decisive goal in the race to win our fourth Champions League. He stood there and finished it like a true striker. So, after all these years of being incredibly influential for the team, is it impossible to wonder when he will get some recognition? A subject that is not so important for Xavi, who always says that Lio Messi is the best player of his generation. Here are his thoughts on Barça, individual awards and recognition, in an interview he gave to GQ magazine last year:

And here we are, almost 10 years later and Xavi is becoming a living legend. Just like Cruyff and Kubala, he will probably be remembered as a player who changed our history. Kubala made us survive in a difficult moment, Cruyff gave us personality and character, but Xavi made us a winning team, a team that is also admired. A team to remember, just like Xavi, its architect.

Xavi has won: 3 Champions League, 6 La Liga titles, 5 Spanish Supercups, 2 UEFA Supercups, 1 Fifa Club World Cup and 1 Copa del Rey.