Perhaps Barcelona’s greatest midfielder, Xavi offers three essential soccer tips to guide you as a player. Coerver Coaching recently asked Spanish and Barcelona legend Xavi, for his advice for young soccer players and you the coach. Xavi was amazing at getting out of tight spaces, shielding the ball, keep possession and finding that pass that opened up the opposing team’s defense. Xavi offers some simple but wise advice. Via Coerver, here’s Xavi’s three essential soccer tips:
Coerver Coaching: Your first touch is always perfect. This requires mastery of the ball. How important is ball mastery for young players?
Xavi: I think mastery of the ball, with good ball control, should be the priority of all young players and their coaches. As your control improves you will get more satisfaction and fun from playing the game. Ball mastery is the foundation that you can build all other parts of the game on.
Coerver Coaching: How can young players improve their ball control?
Xavi: Ball control can only be improved by practice, so try and make the time to do this. Make sure you work on both feet.
Coerver Coaching: Your passing is world famous, what tips can you give young players to improve their passing?
Xavi: Try and be accurate in your passing. To do this you must be constantly looking up, to see your options. Once you pass, and then move into space where you can help your teammate.
Xavi’s Final Barcelona Game
Saturday was a big day at the Camp Nou. Not only did the players and fans celebrate the 23rd Liga title, but they also gave a very special tribute to the player with the record number of appearances for the club, Xavi Hernández.
After 17 seasons, the Catalan midfielder is finally departing, and our cameras followed him from the moment he left home right through to kick-off against Deportivo, with the supporters unfurling a huge banner in his honor. “I’ll get nervous when I see all my family and friends” he confesses in this very special video memento of the day the club offered a heartfelt send-off to one of the greatest players ever to wear its famous shirt.
Watch this behind the scenes video of Xavi in the build up to his tribute game.
Xavi came through La Masia, the Barcelona youth academy, from the age of 11. He made his first-team debut in 1998. Since then he has played almost 700 matches for Barcelona, winning six La Liga Titles and three UEFA Champions Leagues. Since making his international debut for Spain in 2000, he has won UEFA Euro 2008 & 2012 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
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