Xavi

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Xavi
Personal information
Full name	Xavier Hernández Creus
Date of birth	January 25, 1980 (age 27)
Place of birth	Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain
Height	170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position	Central midfielder, deep-lying playmaker
Club information
Current club	FC Barcelona
National team2
2000-	Spain	43 (3)
2 National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2006. * Appearances (Goals)

Xavier Hernández Creus (born January 25, 1980, Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain), normally known as Xavi is a Spanish footballer who plays in central midfield for Barcelona. He currently plays for FC Barcelona and has been capped 43 times for the Spanish national team. He played for his country at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup. He is renowned throughout Europe for his exceptional passing ability and technique.

[edit] Career

Xavi has spent all of his footballing life at the Camp Nou having joined Barça when he was only at the tender age of 11 years. 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.

Xavi was born in the famous street of Barcelona "Las Ramblas" but believe it or not Xavi was a RCD Espanyol fan this was because his family was strong Espanyol fans. His grandfather Julio Hernandez was team captain in the 1968 season also Xavi`s younger brother Quique plays for Espanyols B team.

His exceptional growth throughout the teams earned him a full debut on August 11, 1998. He quickly went on to become a key member of Louis van Gaal's title winning first team.

He won his first Spanish cap on November 15, 2000 against Holland and has since been a regular fixture in the Spanish squad. Xavi has endeared many fans with his long-range passing ability and deft touches to open opposition teams up. These, coupled with his steady composure, qualify him as one of the classiest midfielders in Europe.

His trip to the World Cup was in doubt due to a knee ligament injury, but Xavi recovered well in time and was named as part of Luis Aragonés' squad. His importance to the team was summed 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]

Throughout the tournament Xavi showed his importance to Spain, consistently setting up his teammates with his well placed passes. Xavi was named Man of the Match in Spain's first match against Ukraine and played in all of Spain's other three matches, before they were knocked out in the second round.

Xavi is contracted to Barca until 2010, which carries a buyout clause of £100 million.

[edit] Honors and awards

Olympic medal record
Competitor for {{{1}}}
Men's Football
Silver	2000 Sydney	Team Competition

• FIFA World Youth Championship winner: 1999
• Sydney Olympic Games Silver Medal : 2000
• La Liga Title 1998-99, 2004-05, 2005-06
• UEFA Champions League 2005-06
• Supercopa de España 2005-06

[edit] External links

• Profile on club website
• ESPN Soccernet World Cup Profile
• SkySports World Cup Profile

	Spain squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup Quarter-finalists
1 Casillas | 2 Torres | 3 Juanfran | 4 Helguera | 5 Puyol | 6 Hierro | 7 Raúl | 8 Baraja | 9 Morientes | 10 Tristán | 11 de Pedro | 12 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

	Spain squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup
1 Casillas | 2 Salgado | 3 Pernía | 4 Marchena | 5 Puyol | 6 Albelda | 7 Raúl | 8 Xavi | 9 Torres | 10 Reyes | 11 García | 12 López | 13 Iniesta | 14 Alonso | 15 Ramos | 16 Senna | 17 Joaquín | 18 Fàbregas | 19 Cañizares | 20 Juanito | 21 David Villa | 22 Pablo | 23 Reina | Coach: Aragonés

FC Barcelona - Current Squad
1 Valdés | 2 Belletti | 3 Motta | 4 Márquez | 5 Puyol | 6 Xavi | 7 Guðjohnsen | 8 Giuly | 9 Eto'o | 10 Ronaldinho | 11 Zambrotta | 12 van Bronckhorst | 15 Edmílson | 16 Sylvinho | 18 Ezquerro | 19 Messi | 20 Deco | 21 Thuram | 22 Saviola | 23 Oleguer | 24 Iniesta | 25 Jorquera | 26 Jesús | 31 dos Santos | Coach: Rijkaard