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Barcelona's original scouting report on Xavi from when he was 14 resurfaces and makes for incredible reading

Home> Football> La Liga> FC Barcelona

Updated 20:06 5 Jun 2025 GMT+1Published 20:05 5 Jun 2025 GMT+1

Barcelona's original scouting report on Xavi from when he was 14 resurfaces and makes for incredible reading

Xavi graduated from Barcelona's famed La Masia academy.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Barcelona's original scouting report on Xavi when he was just 14 has emerged and it makes for incredible reading.

Xavi enjoyed an iconic career at Barca, winning an impressive eight La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies.

He made his name at the club's famed youth academy before breaking into the first-team, where he made 767 appearances in his illustrious 17-year spell at the Camp Nou.

Xavi joined La Masia, aged 11, from UFB Jabac Terrassa and Terrassa FC.

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The midfielder made an impression at youth level, with Cristian Martin delivering a scouting report on the player when he was 14.

As part of Martin's book 'La Masia: Developing people beyond sport' - via Reddit, Xavi's legendary positioning and passing was referenced but there were also plenty of areas where he had room for improvement.

Xavi enjoyed a legendary career at Barcelona after graduating from the club's youth academy. Image: Getty
Xavi enjoyed a legendary career at Barcelona after graduating from the club's youth academy. Image: Getty

Barcelona's scouting report on Xavi

Running [general form]: He runs on his heels, his movements are slow and he has trouble picking up speed.

Balance: Average.

Coordination: Good. His movements are correct, but lack speed.

Flexibility: Average. He needs a lot of work in this regard.

Skill: Good, without it being his forte. He has the resources in his game to take advantage of any situation.

Fitness: Good. He has everything a good midfielder should.

Muscle endurance: Good.

Speed: Average. He has to improve his agility and speed of movement.

Starting Speed: Average

Rapid strength: Average

Barcelona's scouting report on Xavi. Image: via Reddit
Barcelona's scouting report on Xavi. Image: via Reddit

Control: Excellent. He offsets his lack of speed in movement with exceptional ball control.

Passing: Very good. He should improve with his left foot, but this is his great strength on the pitch.

Crossing: Good. He is almost never forced into this action.

Shooting: Acceptable. He should improve this for when he gets forward in attack, like Guardiola.

Running [with the ball]: Very good. He has a good sense of protecting the ball, he almost never loses it.

Dribbling: Good. Without being his best asset, his technical level is impressive.

Positioning: Excellent. It is undoubtedly his best quality. He is always where he should be and always offers support and an option for teammates.

Aggression: Average. His eminently technical style sometimes makes this aspect difficult to judge.

So, 'balance', 'flexibility', 'speed', 'starting speed', 'rapid strength' and 'aggression' were listed as 'average'.

But the scouting report hailed Xavi's 'control', 'passing', 'running with the ball' and 'positioning', which he became renowned for during his career.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Barcelona, Xavi, Football

Nasir Jabbar
Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Darren Till. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

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@NasJabbar

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