‘The only guy’… Thierry Henry says £378,000-a-week man at Man City actually has a ‘brain’ like Xavi

Redaction Simon Brett with Srinivas Sadhanand
Published on 2024-02-22 11:30:00

During his playing career, Xavi Hernandez was considered one of the most intelligent players in football history.

However, according to Thierry Henry, the only other footballing figure with a “brain” like Xavi is Pep Guardiola.

The Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has even expressed a willingness to work alongside Guardiola as an assistant coach, emphasizing the unique perspective that Guardiola brings to the game.

Andy Townsend has gone so far as to claim that Guardiola is the greatest coach in the history of the game and has created his own distinctive style of play.

After Barcelona’s 1-1 draw against Napoli in the Champions League Round of 16, Henry told Xavi that only Guardiola possesses a footballing brain similar to his.

“I hope you’re going to carry on because your brain, for me, is second to none. The only guy that I know is up there with you is Pep [Guardiola] in terms of how you see the game”, he told the La Liga-winning manager during an interview with CBS Sports.

Guardiola himself would likely feel honored to be mentioned in the same breath as Xavi by Henry when it comes to their shared view of the game.

Having coached Xavi when he played for Barcelona, Guardiola understands firsthand just how intelligent the World Cup-winning player is.

Xavi’s understanding of space and the tempo of the game was second to none, and even though he lacked athleticism, his intelligence and vision made him exceptional.

Guardiola shares these qualities, which is why his teams tend to dominate games no matter where he has managed during his career.

Guardiola and Xavi played together at Barcelona, and both have excelled in their coaching and playing careers by bringing unmatched intelligence and insight to the sport.

Xavi and Guardiola represent the epitome of footballing brains and intelligence, and they continue to contribute to the sport at the highest levels.

Overall, Henry’s assessment of Guardiola’s footballing brain reflects not only the praise for Guardiola himself but also admiration for the exceptional level of intelligence and understanding of the game that both Xavi and Guardiola possess.

Read Original article on Manchester City News