Xavi Hernandez will continue playing till the end of year at least.
Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Xavi Hernandez has postponed his plans of retiring at the end of the season and said that he will continue playing at least till the end of the year.
Xavi, who now plays for Qatari club Al Sadd, told AFP that he wants to continue playing for at least six months more. “I have decided to continue at least six months more.” The 38-year-old further said, “Because it (playing) depends on my physical condition. Maybe in December I decide to continue.”
Xavi, who won eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues trophies at Barcelona, is known for controlling play from a central position. He collected 133 caps for Spain during a 14-year international career, winning the 2010 World Cup and the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
Hernandez joined Barcelona’s youth academy La Masia when he was 11 and was the playmaking midfielder for the first team from 1998-2015. He joined Al Sadd for the 2015-16 season.
The legendary footballer is also tipped to be the Qatar coach in 2022 when the Gulf state hosts the World Cup. Qatar failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, which means that in 2022 they will become the first nation to host World Cup without ever playing in a finals since Italy in 1934. They had three coaches during the qualification period and currently Xavi’s fellow Spaniard Felix Sanchez is in temporary charge.
The Spaniard has also expressed his desire to return to Barcelona as a coach.