Xavi
Xavi |
![Xavi Hernández - 002.jpg](/2009-wikipedia_en_wp1-0.7_2009-05/I/165px_Xavi_Hernandez_002.jpg) |
Personal information |
Full name |
Xavier Hernández Creus |
Date of birth |
January 25, 1980 (age 28) |
Place of birth |
Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain |
Height |
1.70m (5ft 7in) |
Playing position |
Centre midfielder / Defensive midfielder |
Club information |
Current club |
FC Barcelona |
Number |
6 |
Youth clubs |
1991–1997 |
FC Barcelona Youth |
Senior clubs1 |
Years |
Club |
App (Gls)* |
1997–1999
1998– |
FC Barcelona B
FC Barcelona |
061 0(2)
291 (29) |
National team2 |
2000– |
Spain |
068 0(8) |
1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of May 14, 2008.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 20 August 2008 (UTC).
* Appearances (Goals)
|
- This is a Spanish name; the first family name is Hernández and the second is Creus.
Xavier Hernández Creus (born January 25, 1980, Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain), commonly known as Xavi is a Spanish footballer who plays in central or defensive midfielder for Barcelona. He has been capped more than 60 times for the Spanish national team. He played for his country at 2000 Summer Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2004, 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008. He was named Best Player by UEFA at Euro 2008.
Career
Club career
Xavi is a product of Barcelona's youth system and has spent all of his footballing life at the Camp Nou since the age of 11. He quickly made his way through the youth and reserve teams and was a key member of Jordi Gonzalvo's FC Barcelona B team that won promotion to the Segunda División.
His progression through the teams earned him a first team debut on August 18, 1998 in the Super Cup final, in which he scored against RCD Mallorca. He quickly went on to become a key member of Louis van Gaal's title winning team.
Xavi playing for Spain.
Although he is most used as a central midfielder, he is also capable of playing as a defensive midfielder. Xavi is considered a successor of Josep Guardiola. Since the title-winning season of 2004/2005, he has been a vice-captain of the team.
Xavi is under contract to Barça until 2010, which carries a buyout clause of £100 million.
Xavi ranks joint third with Amor in the all-time appearances list for Barcelona with 421 appearances in his tenth season at the club.
International career
Xavi won his first Spanish cap on November 15, 2000 against the Netherlands and has since been a regular fixture in the Spanish squad. His trip to the World Cup was in doubt due to a knee ligament injury, but he recovered in time and was named as part of Luis Aragonés' squad. His importance to the team was summed up by Aragonés when he said, "People say it is a gamble to take Xavi with us, but I say it would be a crazy gamble to leave him at home."[1] Xavi was named Man of the Match in Spain's match against Ukraine and played in all of Spain's other three matches, before they were knocked out by the experienced French team in the second round.
During the Euro 2008, Xavi played a vital role in Spain's successful campaign. Partnering with fellow Barça teammate Andrés Iniesta in the midfield he was the fulcrum between the defense and the forward line regularly supplying the strikers with vital passes and crucial assists. He scored the opening goal in the 50th minute in the semi-final against Russia. In the final he slid a well-timed pass to Fernando Torres who slotted in the winning goal against Germany. He was selected as the Player of the Tournament by UEFA officials.[2]
Xavi was called up again for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers by new coach Vicente Del Bosque and continued his good form from the Euro. In their 3-0 defeat of Estonia, two of the goals were scored from his free kicks.
All-time club statistics
As of November 1, 2008
Club |
Season |
League |
Cup[3] |
Europe[4] |
FIFA Club World Cup |
Total |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
Apps |
Goals |
FC Barcelona B |
1997-1998 |
33 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
33 |
2 |
1998-1999 |
28 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
28 |
0 |
Total |
61 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
61 |
2 |
FC Barcelona |
1998-99 |
17 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
|
|
26 |
2 |
1999-00 |
24 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
10 |
1 |
|
|
38 |
2 |
2000-01 |
20 |
2 |
7 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
|
|
36 |
2 |
2001-02 |
35 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
|
|
52 |
4 |
2002-03 |
29 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
|
|
44 |
3 |
2003-04 |
36 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
|
|
49 |
5 |
2004-05 |
36 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
|
|
45 |
3 |
2005-06 |
16 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
22 |
0 |
2006-07 |
35 |
3 |
9 |
3 |
8 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
54 |
6 |
2007-08 |
35 |
7 |
7 |
1 |
12 |
1 |
|
|
54 |
9 |
2008-09 |
8 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
10 |
5 |
Total |
291 |
29 |
41 |
6 |
97 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
431 |
41 |
Career totals |
346 |
31 |
41 |
6 |
97 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
482 |
43 |
Honours and awards
FC Barcelona
Spain
Individual
- Best domestic player: for his performance in Spanish La Liga 2004-05 [5]
- Player of the Tournament: for his performance in the UEFA Euro 2008
- FIFPro World XI : 2007-08
References
External links
FC Barcelona – current squad |
|
1 V. Valdés • 2 Cáceres • 3 Piqué • 4 Márquez • 5 Puyol • 6 Xavi • 7 Gudjohnsen • 8 A. Iniesta • 9 Eto'o • 10 Messi • 11 Bojan • 13 Pinto • 14 Henry • 15 Keita • 16 Sylvinho • 18 Milito • 20 Alves • 21 Hleb • 22 Abidal • 24 Touré Yaya • 25 Jorquera • 27 Pedro • 28 Sergio B. • 29 V. Sánchez • Coach: Guardiola
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Spain squad – 2000 Summer Olympics Silver Medalists |
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1 Aranzubia • 2 Lacruz • 3 Juanfran • 4 Marchena • 5 Unai • 6 Albelda • 7 Angulo • 8 Xavi • 9 José Mari • 10 Gabri • 11 Ferrón • 12 Puyol • 13 Luque • 14 Amaya • 15 Ismael • 16 Velamazán • 17 Tamudo • 18 Felip • Coach: Sáez
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![Flag of Spain](/2009-wikipedia_en_wp1-0.7_2009-05/I/200px_Flag_of_Spain_svg.png) |
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Spain squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup |
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1 Casillas • 2 Curro Torres • 3 Juanfran • 4 Helguera • 5 Puyol • 6 Hierro • 7 Raúl • 8 Baraja • 9 Morientes • 10 D. Tristán • 11 de Pedro • 12 A. Luque • 13 Ricardo • 14 Albelda • 15 Romero • 16 Mendieta • 17 Valerón • 18 Sergio • 19 Xavi • 20 Nadal • 21 Luis Enrique • 22 Joaquín • 23 Contreras • Coach: Camacho
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![Flag of Spain](/2009-wikipedia_en_wp1-0.7_2009-05/I/200px_Flag_of_Spain_svg.png) |
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Spain squad – UEFA Euro 2004 |
|
1 Cañizares • 2 Capdevila • 3 C. Marchena • 4 Albelda • 5 Puyol • 6 Helguera • 7 Raúl • 8 Baraja • 9 F. Torres • 10 Morientes • 11 A. Luque • 12 Gabri • 13 Aranzubia • 14 Vicente • 15 R. Bravo • 16 Xabi Alonso • 17 Etxeberria • 18 César Martín • 19 Joaquín • 20 Xavi • 21 Valerón • 22 Juanito • 23 Casillas • Coach: Iñaki Sáez
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![Flag of Spain](/2009-wikipedia_en_wp1-0.7_2009-05/I/200px_Flag_of_Spain_svg.png) |
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