Xavi: Spains Best Ever?
After the most recent edition of El Clsico, I've heard lots of pithy statements about Spanish football. The best was, "Mourinho should punish Sergio Ramos by forcing him to play as a defender." Most people praised Barcelona's incredible football. The Spanish speaking commentators I listened to repeatedly called the Blaugrana's style a dance; it was hard to disagree. For around twenty minutes (really), between the 50th and 70th or so, Real Madrid conceded two and touched the ball about as many times. Nevermind a 5-0 win against the best coach in the world, the passing game alone was among the most humiliating things I've seen Los Blancos endure, right up there the 2-6 and 0-3 destructions at the Santagio Bernabu in 2009 and 2005.But for all the talk of the best Barcelona team of all time, there may have been several more "best ofs" on the pitch on Monday. Whether or not Messi is the best anything (current footballer, Barcelona footballer, Argentine footballer, all time footballer) is premature and inappropriate. He may be in his seventh season, but he's only 23, and will have many more years at the top of football to make his claim. Personally I think he's the best, but I also think he'll convince those who still doubt.Instead, I want to put forth the idea that Xavi might be Spain's best ever player. He has incredible competition for this accolade, including claims from players like Real Madrid's Ral and Alfredo Di Stfano (who was given Spain's UEFA Jubilee Award spot, awarded to the best player from 1954-2003).Mostly I want to put forth that he deserves this recognition because of what he has done with Spain. Ral and Di Stfano are more legendary at their clubs than they are for La Furia Roja, probably because for all their trophies (Eight Champions Leagues! and 14 League titles between them), Spain won nothing during their tenures. Indeed, for most of Ral's Spanish career, the team was known for choking rather than winning. Admittedly, Di Stfano never got the chance to play for Spain at a World Cup and his Euro 1960 competition was cut short due to global politics.But Xavi has been there for La Roja and his club. He's been the best midfielder on the planet since at least Euro 2008, both for club and country. While some players have set the world alight for a season, Xavi has been untouchable domestically, in the Champions League, and with Spain foryears.If his most recentperformancein El Clsico is any indication, he's either still at his peak, or he hasn't reached it yet (the second thought must be horrific for defenses everywhere).
The only trophy he doesn't have is the Confederations Cup, and even if he doesn't win it in 2013, I think the rest of his record will forgive him this absence.
But it's not just his amazing trophy haul with two of the best ever sides (Pep Guardiola's FC Barcelona and Spain 2008-present), it's his performances and displays for them both that really make me think he's potentially Spain's best.
People say Internazionale Milano's Javier Zanetti never had a bad day, and as a follower of the Serie A, I can say it's almost always true. But for Xavi, over the past five seasons (but especially the last three), one has to say: he always has a good game.
His passing and vision has been the best in the world. He seems to refuse to give the ball away where it could hurt his team (or anywhere, for that matter). If he seems to "connect" with his teammates for both Spain and Barcelona, it's probably because his passes are so accurate, and his vision is so great, that his teammates can't help but use them. Granted, it doesn't hurt that he plays with an unbelievably gifted group including most of the other best players in the world (I barely exaggerate), but he seems to be the common denominator, the glue that holds both group! s togeth er.
For me, Monday's El Clsico showcased the importance of such glue. Mourinho's Madrid never had a player metronomically keeping the team together from the midfield, despite having a similarly talented collection of players. Barcelona did, and smashed Los Blancos 5-0. And with his performance, capped by a goal, Xavi added another piece of evidence to his claim to be Spain's best ever. But don't think it will be the last; he has several more seasons in him. So for those of you who doubt, watch Xavi while you can. Then you might be able to say, "I saw Spain's best."
Related posts:
Watch Free Live Soccer Football Matches Online Here
Comments