Xavi Hernandez Biography: Managerial Journey, Net Worth, Family and Football Achievements of Barcelona Genius

Xavier Hernandez Creus or Xavi is one of the most popular names in world football. The Catalan-born Spanish player, who reached the pinnacle of the game as one of the greatest midfielders in the history of football, went on to pursue a promising coaching career. Born in 1980, Xavi boarded the boat laden with the rich legacy of Spanish football at a tender age just like another kid next door in the wealthy province of the country.

Xavi started his dreamy football journey in the Barcelona youth academy and stayed with the Spanish giants until 2015 before leaving European football. However, fate brought him back again to his beloved club as a manager in 2021. His managerial career has not been that much successful, compared to his illustrious trophy-laden career as a midfielder. Currently, the 44-year-old is spending a quiet life away from football, but his return to the field on the sidelines is imminent, given his stature and established personality.

Xavi bio

Xavi Hernandez’s Playing Career (Club)

Xavi Hernandez’s journey as a football player is nothing short of a fairytale. A little boy from a small town named Terrassa in the Catalan province of Spain was motivated by his father to dream big, and at the age of 11, that boy joined the Barcelona youth setup La Masia as Xavier Hernandez. An ardent lover of English football, Xavi grew up idolizing the likes of Paul Gascoigne and John Barnes. 

After spending seven years in the academy, the Spaniard learned how to become a team man, following the ethos of Barcelona. And then the era of Xavi began. In 1998, he was handed his senior debut after he impressed the Catalan board through his incredible technicality, control of the ball and composure in tight spots. The then Barcelona manager grew a soft corner for the talented midfielder, who went on to become the “La Liga Breakthrough Player of the year” in 1999 after playing a crucial part in the club’s La Liga winning campaign. Even before securing any global recognition, Xavi became the principal playmaker for the Spanish club.

From 2001 to 2007, a young Xavi saw every stage of life as a footballer. From winning La Liga and UEFA Champions League to spending a few months on the sidelines, the Spaniard earned the trust of the coaching staff and got the reward in the form of the vice-captaincy of the team. When Xavi was looking for a challenge elsewhere away from Barcelona, his former midfield partner Pep Guardiola arrived at Camp Nou as the new manager and convinced him to stay as an integral part of the squad. A new era of the club began in 2008. In the 2008-09 season, Xavi led the midfield machinery of the Catalan club alongside his loyal partner Andres Iniesta in “sextuple” winning campaign, a feat achieved for the first time in club football.

Xavi became a pioneer of Guardiola’s Tiki-taka playing style, relying on his majestic passing ability. Before leaving Barcelona in 2015 with the record of highest appearances (767), the Spaniard already etched his name in the soccer folklore as the greatest midfielder in the world.

After leaving the shores of European football, Xavi brought his elegance to Asian football by joining the Qatari club Al Sadd. He spent five years there before hanging up his boots in 2019. His final year with the Asian outfit saw him lift the Qatar Stars League trophy of the 2018-19 season.

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International Career

The legendary midfielder Xavi began his international career in a remarkable fashion after winning the World Youth Championship title with Spain in 1999. A year later, he was promoted to the senior team. His vision of the game and wide array of passing proved to be a game-changing tool in Spain’s Euro 2008 glory, earning him the player of the tournament award. In no time, Xavi became the beating heart of the Spanish midfield that entertained the whole world on its way to the 2010 FIFA World Cup title victory in South Africa. 

With him dancing in the middle of the park and picking his colleagues in scoring positions through unbelievable forward passes, Spain continued their winning momentum and retained the Euro title in 2012. Xavi made 133 appearances for the Spanish Armada before announcing his international retirement in 2014. 

Xavi Hernandez’s Coaching Career

Xavi Hernandez’s journey as a player came to an end at Al Sadd, with him embarking on a managerial journey with the Qatari club. He brought the mix of his playing experience and tactical brilliance to the white sidelines after taking a brand new role in the game. In the 2019-20 season, Al Sadd won their first domestic trophy Qatar Cup with Xavi at the helm of the club. When the Asian club was beginning to find rhythm and get influenced by his style of play, Barcelona paid the release clause to appoint him as their new manager in 2021. 

Xavi’s venture with his former club did not go well despite glimpses of a better future spinning around at times. He got off to a great start on the sidelines of Camp Nou as Barcelona defeated Espanyol 1-0 in a local Derby. But, he somehow lacked the tenacity to drive a club like Barcelona. A 0-3 loss against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, 2-3 defeat against Real Madrid in his first El Clasico in charge, early exit from UCL – everything went downhill. The only promising result in his debut season as the Barcelona coach was the club’s second-placed finish in La Liga.

However, Xavi brought back a sense of hope to the fans when he led his side to a famous 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in 2022. After reshaping the whole squad, tactics and mentality, Xavi won his first title as Barcelona manager after beating Real Madrid 3-1 in the final of Supercopa de Espana in 2023. This glory was followed by the triumph of the 2022-23 La Liga season. But, a string of disappointing results led to Xavi’s untimely exit from Barcelona in 2024 amidst the talks of a possible contract extension.

Xavi Hernandez’s Style of Play & Tactics

Xavier Hernandez Creus was a master in midfield during his glorious playing days. When he became a manager, he tried to implement the playing style that he used to rely on as a player. Xavi followed in the footsteps of his former playing partner and manager Pep Guardiola in deploying playing strategy for his players. At both Al Sadd and Barcelona, the Spanish manager instructed his players to focus on keeping possession and control of the game. In order to do so, Xavi used young talented players such as Pedro and Gavi as the deep-lying playmakers.

When Xavi led the Barcelona midfield, he had a trademark playing style of turning 360° on the field to evade opponents and find space. He taught the young midfielders this functional trickery named “La Pelopina.” His managerial codes were simple: “Keep the ball, control the game. If you lose the ball, take it back and play. If opponents are playing with passes, you have to play more passes.” In order to operate this strategy, Xavi deployed a 4-3-3 formation to cover the entire field. He incorporated the idea of outstanding vision, great reading of the game and situation, positioning and accurate passing into the minds of his players, a tactic dating back to the managerial days of Pep Guardiola at Barcelona. 

Xavi Hernandez’s Achievements and Trophies

Xavi Hernandez was an immensely successful football player as he won every major trophy out there including FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro Championship, UEFA Champions League and La Liga. But as a manager his path to glory has been thwarted time and again. At Al Sadd, he won five trophies in two years without making a mark in the AFC Champions League.  With Barcelona, Xavi won the 2022-23 La Liga title and the 2023 Supercopa de Espana. If he returns to the coaching arena, he is expected to lift a lot more silverwares as a manager. 

Xavi Hernandez’s Wife & Family

Xavi has a very big family in Spain. His father Joaquim Hernandez and brother Oscar are both former players of first division football. Xavi also has a beautiful wife named Nuria Cunillera. The couple tied the knot in 2013 and has two children – Dan and Asia. Cunillera is a fashion journalist in Barcelona. She completed her degree in journalism before her marriage.

Xavi Hernandez’s Salary & Net Worth

Xavi has been able to build a large financial empire, thanks to his illustrious playing career at Barcelona and Al Sadd. As a manager, he also added a lucrative amount to his purse. As of 2024, Xavi is sitting at an estimated net worth of $41 million, according to multiple reports. He has a long-lasting sponsorship deal with Adidas, which has given his net worth a major boost in recent years. During his time as the Barcelona manager, he was paid around $4.29 million per year as salary.

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