FC Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernàndez has been named player of the year 2010 by British magazine World Soccer’. Readers gave him 25.8% of the vote, and Leo Messi came in second.
Xavi certainly seems to be on a lot of minds when it comes to picking the most outstandinmg player of the year that is about to end. World Soccer’s award from the United Kingdom is the latest in a series of prestigious recognitions of the Barça man’s amazing year. The magazine valued both his involvement in the Spanish success at the World Cup and also everything he has been doing at Barça.
This is the 28th edition of the awards, and Xavi was followed in the voting by Argentinian team mate Leo Messi, the 2009 winner, who got 24.1% of the votes. There are two other Barça men in the top ten: Andrés Iniesta came fifth and David Villa came seventh.
Guardiola, who was named manager of the year in 2009, came fifth this time round.
The World Soccer readers also picked the best team of the year, and FC Barcelona were named third behind the Spain World Cup squad, which included eight FCB men, and Champions League winners Inter Milan.
photo credit: Alfonso Jiménez