Xavi Hernández decided the tempo of a football match. When he had the ball, the game went fast if he wanted it fast and slow if he wanted it slow, and the opposition mostly spent the evening chasing.
He was the brain of tiki-taka, the passing style behind Barcelona's and Spain's long spell at the top of world football. His passing accuracy routinely sat above 90% in matches, a figure that makes a strong case for him as the most precise passer the game has had.
Spain, three tournaments running
With Spain, Xavi won Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, three consecutive major tournaments. He was Player of the Tournament at Euro 2008, the start of the country's best era.
The Barcelona record:
- 8 La Liga titles
- 4 Champions League trophies
- More than 750 appearances, which makes him one of the most loyal servants the club has had
He did not score many goals. He created the conditions for most of them. Without Xavi there is no tiki-taka, no Barcelona dominance and no Spanish golden era, which is why many call him the most important midfielder of the 21st century.
Tomorrow: number 8.
