| If you had been asked which Spanish player was | | | | old. He now has more than 430 first team games to |
| going to be voted player of the tournament before | | | | his name. |
| Euro 2008 started, can you honestly say you would | | | | Internationally, Xavi was a part of the Spanish team |
| have said Xavi Hernandez? If the answer is yes, then I | | | | which won the FIFA World Under 20 Championships in |
| hope you had a good bet on it because the odds must | | | | 1999, and then he won a silver medal at the Sydney |
| have been tremendous. | | | | Olympics the following year. Since his first senior |
| And yet, by the end of the tournament everybody | | | | international appearance against the Netherlands in |
| could see what Barcelona fans had known for years - | | | | 2000, Xavi has been a permanent member of the |
| Xavi Hernandez is a playmaker supreme. | | | | national team. Alongside Barcelona team mate |
| Born in Terrassa in January, 1980, Xavi is another of | | | | Andrés Iniesta, the two players bemused |
| those priceless players who have come all the way | | | | supporters in England - wondering how on earth Spain |
| through the ranks at Barcelona. For all the attention | | | | could not include Fabregas in the starting eleven. The |
| that 'big signings' inevitably draw, players like Xavi act | | | | two Barcelona players, however, demonstrate an |
| as a lifeblood to Barça - linking the supporters | | | | almost telepathic awareness of each other arising |
| with the players in a very special way. Fans like | | | | from hours spent on the training ground and in |
| nothing more than a footballer with whom they can | | | | matches together. |
| completely identify - and Xavi fits that bill totally. | | | | Xavi is one of those players that managers will |
| Although his grandfather had played successfully for | | | | always admire; he protects the ball so carefully and |
| local rivals Espanyol in the 1960s, it was Barça | | | | just hates giving it away. During numerous Euro 2008 |
| who snapped up the promising 11 year old Xavi | | | | matches, the statistics showed that Xavi had more |
| Hernandez. Earmarked for stardom right from the | | | | touches than any other player on the pitch and just |
| beginning, he was carefully nurtured through the youth | | | | never seemed to give the ball to the opposition. A |
| ranks. After a successful spell in the B side, Xavi made | | | | good tackler, a superb one touch player and with a |
| his debut in 1998 in the Spanish Super Cup game | | | | capacity to keep running for the whole game, Xavi is a |
| against Mallorca - even scoring - and the following | | | | classic midfield playmaker, capable of dropping back to |
| season Louis Van Gaal trusted the player enough to | | | | cover and also of making lung-bursting runs past the |
| start him in 17 league games. | | | | strikers into the penalty area. Furthermore, he's not bad |
| Similarly to Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal, Xavi's big idol | | | | at dead ball situations, either - but in the Barcelona |
| was the midfielder - and current manager - Pepe | | | | team there's a few others you could say that about! |
| Guardiola, and it was his injury and subsequent transfer | | | | Still at the peak of his form and fitness, Xavi should be |
| that enabled Xavi to make the playmaker's role his | | | | an integral part of the Barcelona and Spanish midfields |
| own. Such was his importance to the team that he | | | | for many years yet. |
| made his 300th appearance before he was 25 years | | | | |