Clubs: FC Barcelona

UEFA honours
UEFA European Championship: winner 2008
UEFA EURO 2008: Player of the Tournament
UEFA EURO 2008: Team of the Tournament
UEFA Champions League: winner 2006, 2009, 2011
UEFA Super Cup: winner 2009
UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year: 2009
UEFA.com users' Team of the Year: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

• Joined Barcelona aged 11; succeeded Josep Guardiola as the team's midfield orchestrator, winning the Liga title in his first season (1998/99).

• A FIFA U-20 World Cup winner with Spain in 1999 and silver medallist at the 2000 Olympic Games, Xavi made his full national team debut in the same game as club-mate Carles Puyol on 15 November 2000 against the Netherlands (lost 1-2 in Seville).

• Fringe player at 2002 FIFA World Cup and unused squad member at UEFA EURO 2004 but first choice at the 2006 World Cup after returning from a six-month injury lay-off and Spain's star performer in their UEFA EURO 2008 triumph.

• Spanish champion in 2004/05 and again the following season but played only first four matches of victorious 2005/06 UEFA Champions League campaign due to knee ligament damage sustained in November.

• His tenth UEFA Champions League campaign, in 2008/09, brought victory and the man of the match award in the final against Manchester United FC (2-0); also triumphant in the Liga, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

• Extended his contract until summer 2016 in June 2010, prior to being a key midfield performer in Spain's World Cup triumph in South Africa; voted into the tournament's All-Star Team.

• Overtook Migueli at the top of the club's all-time appearance list when he played for the 550th time, in a 1-1 draw with Athletic Club in January 2011, and claimed his sixth Liga title four months later, a few weeks before helping Barcelona to UEFA Champions League glory against United at Wembley.

• Finished second, behind team-mate Lionel Messi, in an August 2011 vote to determine the winner of the inaugural UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.

• Earned his 100th cap for Spain on 25 March 2011 during a UEFA European Championship qualifier against the Czech Republic in Granada. Xavi received a commemorative cap and medal from UEFA to mark that milestone on 10 November 2011 at a ceremony in Madrid hosted by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

• "Many thanks to UEFA for the award, it's a beautiful acknowledgement and fills one with joy," he said. "I've been with the team for many years now and when you look back there are fantastic memories."