The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has reportedly turned down an application from Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez for the role of head coach of the Indian national football team, citing financial constraints.
According to a Times of India report, the Spanish World Cup winner surprised AIFF officials when his name appeared among a list of candidates applying for the vacant position. The list included familiar names such as former India coach Stephen Constantine, ex-Liverpool player Harry Kewell, and Indian tactician Khalid Jamil.
Xavi, who sent his application from his personal email address, reportedly left the contact number field blank — a detail noted by the federation. Confirming the receipt of the application, AIFF’s national team director Subrata Paul said, “It’s correct that Xavi’s name was there. The application was emailed to the AIFF.”
Despite the initial buzz, Xavi’s application was swiftly dismissed. A member of the AIFF’s technical committee told TOI: “Even if Xavi was genuinely interested in Indian football and could be convinced to take up the job, we would need a lot of money.”
The former Barcelona head coach had previously expressed interest in Indian football, citing the presence of several Spanish coaches working in the country. However, the financial demands attached to a coach of his stature appear to have made his appointment unfeasible.
Xavi, a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, enjoyed a glittering playing career, amassing 767 appearances for the Catalan club. He was instrumental in Barcelona’s golden era, forming a legendary midfield trio with Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets. His honours include five La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey trophies, and three UEFA Champions League titles, including two continental trebles in 2008–09 and 2014–15.
After leaving Barcelona in 2015, he played for Al Sadd in Qatar, where he later began his coaching career, before returning to manage Barcelona and leading them to the 2022–23 La Liga title and the 2023 Supercopa de España.
Internationally, Xavi won UEFA Euro titles in 2008 and 2012, and was a key figure in Spain’s 2010 FIFA World Cup triumph.
Despite the rejection, the episode has added an unexpected twist to the AIFF’s ongoing search for a new head coach — and has shown that Indian football’s growing visibility is attracting attention from even the biggest names in the sport.