Xavi calls Messi the "Michael Jordan" of football, says he will still be strong in the 2026 World Cup.

Xavi Hernandez, former Barcelona midfielder Opening up about Lionel Messi, both his first memories at Camp Nou and his latest form in the 2026 World Cup, pointing out that Messi is the "Michael Jordan of football," a player who is unrivaled and almost superhuman. According to an interview with The Athletic. Xavi says that when he first heard the praise from the youth coach, he was secretly skeptical. But as soon as they trained together in 2004, he and teammates Carles Puyol, Victor Valdes, Deco and Ronaldinho looked at each other in awe. After all, Messi was only 16 years old but immediately stood out as one of the club's best players. Xavi also emphasized that If another player might decide to leave the field after leading the Argentine national team to win the 2022 World Cup, Messi is still "A true success hunter" and believes he can lead the team to win the big championship again in the 2026 tournament. When talking about playing tips Xavi explains: Messi scans the field all the time. Look left and right and continually assess the situation. Even though some moments seem like walking But actually he was reading the whole game in his head. Ready to believe that Messi can move to play the role of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Carles Puyol or even his own position at the top level, just like the owner of the position. Xavi also revealed that After the game with the Algerian national team He sent a text message to Messi praising him for his performance and making him laugh about what he did on the pitch. while emphasizing that what he saw was truly superior. --- ## Related Articles 1. [Belgio-Iran: espulsione per Natan N'Goy al 67'](https://azzurrigoal.com/it/news/belgio-iran-espulsione-per-natan-ngoy-al-67) 2. [Mbappé Comments Ahead of France's Match Against Iraq](https://pitchpulsemedia.com/en/news/mbappe-comments-ahead-of-frances-match-against-iraq)