DOHA • Former Barcelona and Spain great Xavi Hernandez will retire from football at the end of the season to move into coaching, calling time on a trophy-laden career spanning two decades.
The former Barca captain, who made an all-time record of 767 appearances for the Spanish champions while winning 133 caps for Spain, confirmed he would be hanging up his boots in an open letter sent to members of the Spanish media on Thursday.
The statement read: "This is my last season as a player, but I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for me as a coach.
"It has been a privilege to play football until 39 years of age and now, I would like to finish the season on a high by winning the Emir Cup and getting to the next phase of the Asian Champions League."
Revealing that his coaching style would reflect the way he was known for playing the game, he added: "I love seeing teams take the initiative on the field, play attacking football and return to the essence of what we all love from our childhood days - possession football."
Xavi made his debut for Barcelona in 1998 after coming through the club's famed La Masia academy and soon became the heartbeat of the team's midfield, winning eight LaLiga titles and four Champions League crowns before joining Qatari side Al Sadd in 2015.
He was one of the key players when Spain won their first and only World Cup in 2010 as well as their European Championship triumphs in 2008 and 2012, before eventually retiring from the national team after their early 2014 World Cup exit.
Last month, he helped Al Sadd win the Qatar Stars League, the country's top flight, while the team have also progressed to the quarter-finals of the Emir Cup.
His former teammates and clubs also paid tribute after news of his impending retirement broke, with Barcelona hailing him as a "football legend" on their Twitter account.
Andres Iniesta, who combined with Xavi to become one of the game's greatest double acts, called him "the best partner".
The midfielder, who now plays for J-League outfit Vissel Kobe, tweeted: "A privilege to grow and share at your side all my career and the best moments. Thank you for everything you've taught the world of football."
REUTERS
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola predicts his side will "suffer" against fourth-tier Newport County in their FA Cup fifth round match on Saturday but has urged his players to adapt to a battered playing surface at Rodney Parade.
Guardiola expects Man City to suffer in tricky trip to Newport
Manchester City swept back to the top of the Premier League as Gabriel Jesus struck twice in the champions' 3-1 win over Everton, while Christian Eriksen kept Tottenham in the title hunt in a last
Jesus shines as City regain top spot, Eriksen fires Spurs
Tampines Rovers FC will host Hougang United in an exciting AIA Singapore Premier League clash at the Tampines Stadium on Sunday. Tampines are fourth in the Singapore Premier League standings
Tampines Rovers - Results, Match Fixtures and Statistics in
Jamie Redknapp and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink have slammed the decision not to award Derby a free-kick prior to Chelsea's winner in the Carabao Cup. Chelsea narrowly overcame Derby 3-2 to progress to
Chelsea transfers: the 10 best and 10 worst Premier League
LONDON (AFP) - Cardiff claim they are stunned by a report that the pilot in the plane crash that killed Emiliano Sala was not qualified to fly at night.. The English Premier League football club said they remain "deeply concerned" that the pilot David Ibbotson and those who arranged the flight "seemingly completely disregarded the rules of flying and put Mr Sala's life in such danger".
FAS Programmes TV, Calendrier, Résultats, Actualités, Équipe
Soccer Football - Champions League - FC Barcelona Press Conference - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - May 6, 2019 FC Barcelona's Luis Suarez during the press conference Action Images via Reuters/Lee
Champions League news: "Our defence looked like schoolboys
Call in Iran for footballers to be punished over Japan melee during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup semi-final football match between Iran and Japan at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al-Ain on January
Call in Iran for footballers to be punished over Japan melee
Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman said on Tuesday the club will pay the fee for striker Emiliano Sala if they are contractually required to do so. Sala had signed for the Premier League side and was flying to his new team from his old club Nantes in France when his plane went missing over the Channel on January 21.
Cardiff to pay Sala fee if necessary - Report | New Straits
Real Madrid, Atletico close in on Barcelona Description: The hosts came roaring back in the second half, twice forcing fine saves from Jan Oblak before Fernando Calero scored for the hosts from a 56th-minute corner.
Real Madrid, Atletico close in on Barcelona
Sometimes cell phones and 802.11 boxes use RSSI (receive signal strength indicator) instead of -dBm. The scale is usually 0-100 and there is usually no direct relationship to actual receive signal other than perhaps a lookup table in the data sheet. This is where the %signal and %s/N display on 802.11 boxes are generated. It's not as
AT&T poor signal strength - AT&T Community
Premier League Clubs 'Strongly Opposed' to Proposed UEFA Champions League & Europa League Changes The Premier League has released a statement in which they state unanimous opposition to proposed changes to the structure of both the Champions League and Europa League.
Champions League: Premier League reacts as UEFA makes changes
Barcelona are closing in on their eighth LaLiga title in 11 years after Clement Lenglet and Jordi Alba both scored in a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday. The victory means Barca only have to
Barça stroll to comfortable victory with title on the brink
The King, however, unsure of him being good, tied Manjusri up and drowned him into the water for three days, until when he was rescued by the Buddha. The Buddha ordered the Lion to ascend into the mortal realm to let the King pay back for it. Here, he posed as a Taoist, save the Wuji Kingdom from a drought.
The Pharisees | Villains Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia
Sarri condemns 'disgusting' Sterling abuse - sports.yahoo.com
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has been appointed manager of League Two side Oldham Athletic on a one-and-a-half year contract. Scholes said: "I just feel ready, really. I've had
Paul Scholes: Manchester United great appointed manager of
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit
watch coppa america live streaming crictime
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch champions league live streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch soccer am live stream
watch coppa america live streaming bein sport
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch champions league live streaming manchester united
watch english premier league live streaming hd
watch champions league semi final draw live stream
watch coppa america live streaming usa
watch soccer live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming jamaica
watch premier league live streaming jamaica
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch coppa america live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming hd free
watch soccer live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch english premier league live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch tamil nadu premier league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch live soccer stream android
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming rcti
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
watch champions league live streaming pc
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch soccer live streaming juventus
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch coppa america live streaming quality
watch champions league final online free live streaming
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch coppa america live streaming australia
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch soccer live stream apk
where to watch champions league live streaming
watch soccer live stream links
watch live streaming soccer manchester united
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online
watch champions league online free live streaming hd
watch premier league live streaming juventus
watch soccer games live stream free app
live ipl live streaming- watch indian premier league 2013 online
watch uefa champions league final live streaming free online
cpl 2018 live streaming watch caribbean premier league t20 2018
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch soccer am online live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live no registration
watch premier league live streaming qatar
where to watch premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming cricfree
watch premier league darts live stream
watch sky sports premier league live stream
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7
watch live soccer streaming on android
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch live streaming of premier league football
watch premier league live streaming yify
watch soccer games online free streaming live
soccer tv live football streaming reddit
watch coppa america live streaming zip
watch soccer world cup live streaming
watch soccer live streaming qatar vs philippines
watch premier league live in stream
watch coppa america live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch champions league live streaming juventus
how to watch premier league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming ptv sports
watch soccer online free streaming live without registration
watch soccer online free streaming live liverpool
watch coppa america live streaming game
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
watch champions league live streaming xbox one
khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming
watch champions league live streaming match
watch soccer online free streaming live bbc
watch premier league live streaming zee tv
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming barcelona
watch premier league live streaming live
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch coppa america live streaming tv
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch champions league live streaming canada
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
watch champions league live streaming crictime
watch soccer game live now
watch coppa america live streaming mobile
watch live soccer game today
watch soccer online free streaming live p2p
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch coppa america live streaming juventus
how to watch champions league live streaming
watch champions league final live streaming
watch live streaming soccer games
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
free watch soccer live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming direct
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
watch coppa america live streaming indonesia
watch coppa america live streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming bt sport
watch soccer online free streaming live manchester united
watch uefa champions league live streaming youtube
watch premier league live streaming zimbabwe
watch champions league live streaming now
#afcnews #juventus #league2 #Celtic #klopp #footballdubai #ucl #433skills #elcasico #gooners #coys #soccer #copaamerica #goodday #vandijk #rugby #liverpoolfc #ignoranza #sumbertv #crossfit #lfc #footballmeme #soccerbible #realmadrid #league1 #cappucino #bestshishacafedubai #alissonbecker #panini #soccermemes #fcbarcelona #pagani #fut #americanfootball #sunderlandafc #commentimemorabili #myfootballuniverse #liverpool #livesports #boxing #footballstreaming #gunners #Barcelona #villarealcf #bayervshoffenheim #Barca #arsenalfantv #oasis #kroenkeout #liverpoolcity #kopisusu #adidasslipon #valcea #linkstreaming #bundesliga #thebeatles #portsmouthfc #cr7 #conference #noelgallagher #lovefootball #comico #paulmcartney #firmino #satira #transfernews #PartyTime #championsleague #streamingbolaid #frasirap #salah #Vip45 #acmilan #ballondor #ronaldo #londoncity #coutinho #chocolatecoffee #manchestercity #freekickerz #BMW #footballschedule #arsenalnews #realmadridcf #footballfans #MyDubai #mancityvsliverpool #sixtimes #rockstar
No comments:
Post a Comment