Rio Olympics 2016: 5 footballers whose careers kickstarted at the Olympics

#3 Xavi

Xavi battling with Park Ji-Sung of South Korea at the Sydney Olympics

It all started at the 2000 Sydney Olympics for young Xavi, who would go on to become one of the best midfielders of his generation. It was this tournament which served as a launchpad in the process of establishing himself as Barcelona’s principal playmaker for years to come.

Xavi scored in the final of the Sydney Games against Cameroon, however, his efforts were not enough to earn Spain a Gold medal and had to only settle for silver. However, the event showed the world a little glimpse of Xavi’s potential and propelled Barcelona to build the team around him.

Lauded throughout the world for his impeccable vision and ability to find and exploit space, Xavi is considered one of the best passers of the ball in modern football. His skill came to full expression during the Guardiola Era, where he linked magically with Sergio Busquets, Andreas Iniesta and Lionel Messi to perfect the tiki-taka style of play.

In the Barcelona shirt, Xavi has won eight La Liga titles and four Champions League including two treble successes in 2009 and 2015. He was instrumental in Spain’s Euro and World Cup successes in 2008 and 2010 respectively and has featured in the FIFPro World XI six times in a row from 2008 to 2013.