Xavi Hernandez on what Lionel Messi would have added to Spain’s Golden Generation

Xavi Hernandez's admiration for Lionel Messi remains great despite the distance between the two friends.

Messi is extending his playing career at Inter Miami, with the ultimate aim of leading Argentina's FIFA World Cup defense in 2026, with Xavi looking for a new coaching challenge.

The former Barcelona boss will wait until next summer to decide on a new role as he continues a break from the game.

The pair are synonymous with Barcelona's most successful period, with Xavi as the metronome in midfield and Messi as the talisman in attack.

Together the duo won seven La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League crowns as arguably the greatest club team of all time.

Xavi's success at Barcelona was also accompanied by a gold medal for the Spanish national team, as he won two UEFA European Championships and a World Cup from 2008 to 2012.

However, that period was less successful for Messi and Argentina, as he had to wait until 2021 to win a first title, and Xavi believes Messi's addition could have made Spain even more dominant at the time.

“Maybe Messi was the difference between Barcelona and Spain. We didn't have Leo in the national team, we didn't have such a distinctive player, we had to rely more on the team as a whole,” said Relevo.

“But we have also achieved success – European Championship, World Cup, European Championship. And at Barca we had a very good generation that achieved everything.”