FC Barcelona legend and current coach of Qatar’s Al-Sadd, Xavi Hernandez, recently made a surprising confession – he hates listening to the Champions League anthem. As someone who won the tournament four times with Barcelona. It might seem strange that Xavi dislikes the anthem, but there are good reasons for his aversion.
Firstly, Xavi is a player who has always valued humility and teamwork over individual glory. The Champions League anthem is designed to create a sense of grandeur and spectacle around the tournament. Its dramatic music and lyrics “the champions.” For Xavi, who is known for his modest personality, the anthem feels like it’s at odds with the values he holds dear.
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Secondly, the Champions League has become an incredibly commercialized competition in recent years, with big money at stake for the clubs involved. For Xavi, who grew up in a different era of football, this focus on money and prestige might be a turn-off. In a 2019 interview, he spoke about how he misses the days when football was more about passion and less about business:
“I miss the time when football was just a sport, when it wasn’t so commercialize. We need to get back to those values.”
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Finally, Xavi might simply be tired of hearing the Champions League anthem. As someone who has played in the tournament countless times, and who has achieved almost everything there is to achieve in the game, he might find the anthem repetitive or even annoying.
Despite his dislike of the anthem, Xavi is still a huge fan of the Champions League as a competition. In the same 2019 interview. He spoke about how much he enjoys watching the games. How he still feels a sense of excitement when the tournament begins:
“The Champions League is a special competition. It’s the biggest tournament in the world, with the best teams and the best players. I love watching it.”
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