Xavi Hernández, a two-time FIFA Club World Cup champion with FC Barcelona, has expressed deep admiration for the competition — especially as it prepares to enter a new era in 2025 with an expanded 32-team format. The former midfielder, who lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2011, described the feeling of winning it as nearly transcendental.

“Becoming world club champion gives you the feeling that you're touching the sky,” Xavi told FIFA in an interview highlighting the tournament’s growing importance.

A Game-Changer for Global Football

The former Al-Sadd coach believes the new format will represent a turning point in the history of the sport. With representatives from all six confederations and an expanded pool of contenders, Xavi sees the competition as a celebration of global football.

“This competition will be a before and after,” he said. “You get to see different styles of play, face teams from Oceania, South America, North America… and that’s really special.”

The 2025 Club World Cup, hosted in the United States, promises to elevate the stakes and visibility of club football on a worldwide stage — something Xavi wholeheartedly supports.

From Defeat to Redemption

Xavi also reflected on his personal journey in the tournament, recalling the shock loss to Internacional (Brazil) in the 2006 final as a painful but valuable lesson.

“It’s tough. You’re not used to facing these kinds of teams. I remember it being a very physical game, more about contact,” he recalled.

He and Barcelona bounced back in style, winning their next two finals — 2009 against Estudiantes de La Plata and 2011 against Santos, led by a young Neymar — helping to cement Barça’s golden era.

With victories at both club and national team level (including Spain’s 2010 World Cup win), Xavi’s voice carries significant weight. His perspective offers a compelling preview of what the Club World Cup could become in this new chapter — not just a title, but a symbol of global football supremacy.