Do we like them?

Do we like Xavi Hernández?

Our score: 7 out of 10. Decent record, a stand against abuse of players and a big hospital donation, held back by his repeated defence of Gulf states criticised on human rights.

Xavi is the Barcelona kid who made it all the way: a La Masia product who became the club's midfield metronome and later its coach. After his playing days he spent years in Qatar, as a player and then manager, which matters for the rest of this story.

The latest drama is a fight with his old club. In March 2026 Xavi said Laporta told him “word for word” he would wage war if Messi returned, and said “It wasn’t La Liga or money. The president simply didn’t want it.” Laporta replied that he understood Xavi was hurt, and said Messi's father and agent decided a return would bring too much pressure.

On the harm check, the sticking point is the Gulf. Xavi has repeatedly defended Qatar, calling it a very safe country and a great place to raise a family, per Marca as reported by Football España. In 2023 Amnesty's Spain director was asked whether Xavi was whitewashing Gulf states and answered “Clearly”; that is Amnesty's view, and Xavi has defended his comments.

Beyond that, we found nothing from him against LGBTQ+ people, women or the planet, and no film or company-keeping problem. We also didn't find a dedicated statement of support, so that part of the record is thin. When Vinícius Júnior copped crowd abuse in 2023, Xavi publicly backed him despite the Barça-Madrid rivalry.

The real good stuff: in April 2020 Xavi and his wife gave one million euros to Barcelona's Hospital Clínic to fight the pandemic. He has also been linked with several other charitable gifts over the years, though we couldn't confirm all the details on dated pages.

His new job is the Netherlands, the first foreign coach in decades, on a deal through the 2030 World Cup. The Dutch federation wants his possession-heavy style from this autumn.