The mastering of the midfield has been a fascination for managers past and present, the centre-piece of a successful side and the area where domination is so often translated into tangible results.

For so long, Spain were one of international football’s great underachievers. England’s 58 ‘years of hurt’ and counting is well-documented and always circulated around the time of major tournaments, ...

© David Ramos/Getty ImagesLionel Messi of FC Barcelona (C) holds the Ballon d'Or trophy flanked by his teammates Andres Iniesta (L) and Xavi Hermandez prior the Copa ...

The three midfielders played a key role in Spain's recent successes as they won Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. However, Xavi and Xabi Alonso retired from international football after the ...

The midfielder, 39, has announced that he will retire at the end of the season and he will do so as one of the finest players the game has ever seen "We live in the present, Xavi lives in the future,” ...

MADRID, April 12 (Reuters) - Good news for Barcelona and Spain, bad news for all their rivals. Xavi says he is in the best form of his life. The diminutive playmaker put in a match-winning performance ...