Football is a simple game of 22 People running after or with the ball. From one side to the other. One end to the other.
Except the Goal Keepers, all on field players must run. Run to score, run to defend, run to receive, run to play football.
But I once witnessed an anomaly who always defied this simple rule and the most fundamental aspect of the game. He never ran!
Yet he became a footballer who is not only used as a reference, but deeply studied by many clubs and players. To figure out how can a rather calm looking guy on the field who hardly ever made a run, literally turned everything into chaos for the opposition.
Barca’s style of play is dictated by the famous 2 Ps – Possession and Position
Possession of the ball and the positioning of the players that allows the ball to circulate between only those who wear the Blaugrana.
And there has never been a player, who understood this basic rule and used it to perfection better than Xavier Hernández Creus.
Xavi played a different sport, he was not a player who just had a pass that was abnormally good, he was a player who could literally see the next 5 passes which will be made after his pass.
The word vision itself refers to Xavi as the meaning of the word.
When Barca started playing football which at times seemed like something that’s just pure fantasy. This guy was literally at the heart of it, making things look unrealistically easy.
Which the barca fans unfortunately would realise in the future that, football of that time and players like this guy actually was right out of fiction. A fiction we still to this day hope to see flashes of once again.
A fiction the guy himself failed to recreate once again in a different role…
Say whatever you want about the manager Xavi. But if you ever even mention the name of the player that was Xavier Hernández, make sure you stand up and take off your hat first.
Cause this guy without ever running, ran the greatest midfield this world has ever seen.