After such loss for Spain at Brazil 2014 World Cup comes along sad news as 34 year old Central Midfielder and one of the best of his kinds in the person of Xavier Hernández announces his exit from international football.
Xavi has been with Barcelona side for 18 years after coming through La Masia, the Barcelona youth academy, at the age of 11. Xavi have immensely contributed to the achievements of both the Spain national team his club-side Barcelona being the first player in FC Barcelona’s history to play 150 international matches and also winning the U-20 World Cup for Spain in 1999, and the Olympic Silver Medal at the 2000 Olympics
Xavi made his first appearance for Barcelona on 18 August 1998; he has since played over 700 matches, made more than 180 assists, and has been capped 130 times for the Spanish National team. His influence in the Barcelona team was relinquished in their adaptation to the tiki-taka style of play, a style introduced to the club by former coach Johan Cruyff, Barcelona president Sandro Rosellbelieved Xavi, together with fellow teammates Messi, Iniesta and Busquets, perfected the club’s tiki-taka style of play.
His exploit for space on the pitch lead to the claim that Xavi is one of the best central midfielders of his generation and also matches has earned him the sobriquet, “The Puppet Master”.
It is believed the that Xavi finally made up his mind after his National team dropped him out of their World cup match against Chile in Brazil, the match which ended on a 2-0 defeat, this was after their initial lost 5-1 to Netherlands. His club side Barcelona also lost La-Liga Trophy to rival Athletico Madrid.
At a news conference Xavi said “I think my time there for Spain has finished, I finished the season with two disappointments and I abruptly decided to tell the club that I would be leaving at this stage.”
Spanish National team manager Vicente del Bosque said “We have lost a one-of-a-kind player,” “He has been the man who was key to our style of play that has brought us so much success. We will miss him both on and off the pitch.”
It’s glaring Xavi will be missed by the ‘La Furia Roja’.