Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Xavi knows what it takes to beat English clubs on the biggest European stage, having won three of his four Champions League titles in finals against Premier League sides, including his first win in 2006 over Arsenal.
Back then, a 26-year-old Xavi was just starting to solidify his status as one of Barcelona’s greatest players, who would go on to win a plethora of club and individual honours during his 17-year career at the Nou Camp, including eight La Liga titles and three Spanish Cups.
Throughout his illustrious career, Xavi faced some of the finest Premier League players ever and once called a former Arsenal prodigy ‘the future of English football’, having been impressed with the midfielder’s vision, technique and ability to influence games.
It is safe to say the prediction did not quite come true – the player heavily praised by Xavi earned just 34 England caps and was forced to retire at the age of 30 in 2022, following a career that promised much but was ultimately disrupted by persistent injuries.
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Xavi Heaped Praise on Jack Wilshere
‘With all respect, he doesn’t play the English way’
Jack Wilshere
Xavi, speaking in an interview back in 2015, praised Jack Wilshere as ‘the future of English football’ and said injuries were the only reason the ex-Arsenal midfielder had struggled to fulfil his potential:
“If he had a career that had been injury-free, we would already be talking about him as one of the top central midfield players in Europe.
“I have played against him, I have watched him carefully, and if he can overcome injuries, then he can still go on and be one of the best midfield players in the world.
“With all respect, he doesn’t play the English way. He has an excellent passing range, an ability not to lose the ball, it is clear that he has had his education at Arsenal.
“For many years now the one position England have not struggled with is world-class midfield players. Scholes, and then more recently Lampard and Gerrard.
“Now I see Wilshere as the future of English football, that is why it is so important they keep him fit.”
Wilshere was indeed once regarded as one of England’s brightest midfield talents, having burst onto the scene with a stunning display against Barcelona in the Champions League during the 2010/11 season, when he starred against one of the greatest midfields in football history, featuring Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.
That same season, Wilshere went on to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award and made his debut for England, for whom he ended up making just 34 appearances and scoring two goals.
Despite early promise, Wilshere saw his career heavily disrupted by persistent injuries, including a series of ankle and leg setbacks that curtailed his development and limited his involvement in Arsenal’s first team.
The former midfielder departed the Emirates in 2018 after making 197 senior appearances and had short spells at West Ham and Bournemouth, before retiring in 2022 at the age of 30.
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Statistics courtesy ofTransfermarkt. Correct as of 23-06-25.