Beyond the Rumours, Would the Xavi-ball Work in India?

Over the last two days, social media has been buzzing. And why wouldn’t it be? Xavi Hernández has reportedly expressed interest in becoming the coach of India’s national football team, but the Federation rejects the appeal due to financial constraints. At least that’s what the rumours suggest, as later we found sources who are denying it as a proxy.

But in a country where football is going through a long and uncertain drought, with no sign of revival, such a rumour was bound to stir conversation. Yet it has no base; a curious mind asks, even if there were possibilities, could “La Computadora” (The Computer) really bring about a renaissance in Indian football?

Could India Adopt the Xavi-ball?

When scouting a national team coach, a country’s technical committee generally focuses on two major criteria: the coach’s footballing philosophy and how that philosophy aligns with the country’s football development. British journalist Jonathan Wilson, in his book Inverting the Pyramid, emphasized the importance of football culture in different countries. He illustrated how different environments have shaped distinct tactical styles around the world. In this case, nature is a sensitive tool.

But unfortunately, though being a diverse country, India has never really developed a concrete footballing identity. There is no pattern or particular style associated with our nation. That’s why, had someone like Xavi — a key disciple of Pep Guardiola’s vision — arrived, he would have had the opportunity to create a new footballing culture here. But problems would arise elsewhere.

Apart from money, Xavi would ask for certain fundamental things like positional awareness, the ability to control the ball, high pressing, and intense counter-pressing to quickly regain possession. These are things the Indian Federation is in no position to deliver right now. Then there are more complex ideas like creating numerical superiority through positional interchange to carry the ball closer to the opposition’s goal. If Xavi handed over such a long list of demands, where would the AIFF even find players capable of fulfilling them?

Because these elements of Xavi’s footballing philosophy aren’t just developed on the pitch. They are taught from a young age in academies like La Masia and other European academies’ classrooms through video analysis. In India, not just football, in fact, no sport in India treats theoretical learning as an essential part of development.

Secondly, this move will expose the long-standing issue of negligence at the grassroots level. And how could it be any different? Youth leagues here run for short durations, field conditions are often poor, and worst of all, there is a complete lack of understanding around sports injury science among officials. In such an environment, expecting a coach and management team to implement dynamic football is extremely risky.

Difference Between Managing a Country and A nation

There’s another important point to consider — managing a club and managing a national team are vastly different experiences. Clubs are far more organized, and it’s easier to find players to solve specific tactical problems. In contrast, national teams often operate within fixed boundaries, making it difficult to solve issues without a long-term, structured system in place.

So, Xavi’s arrival alone would not have brought a footballing renaissance. After all, how much can one really change in a 15-day training camp?

Some Positive Sides

Hypothetically, if we have him as a Technical Director, then it can help more than anything. He can plan a long-term vision. Like he has a soft network in India, as many Spanish managers come to India since the Indian Super League began. Sergio Lobera, Antonio Habas, Carlos Cuadrat, Albert Roca, and Oscar Bruzon are such managers who have experience working in our nation and have a good relationship with Xavi. Having a Spanish superiority can help the football in the long run.

Clubs may support developing the kind of footballing style Xavi would implement. That will tie the players in a system from everywhere with a thread among the nation.