Spanish legend Xavi announces retirement, plans to become coach

Former Barcelona star Xavi Hernandez announced on Thursday that he's stepping away from football and ending one of the most illustrious careers in the sport.

The Spanish legend, who led Al-Sadd to the league title in Qatar last month, will now pursue a career in coaching.

"This is my last season as a player, but I am looking forward to see what the future holds for me as a manager," the 39-year-old midfielder said, according to Aritiz Gabilondo from Spanish outlet AS.

Xavi added: "My philosophy as a manager reflects the style that we developed for many years under the influence of Johan Cruyff and from La Masia and it's main exponent is in the way Barcelona play. I love to see the teams that take the initiative on the field, attacking football and go back to that place we all loved since the days of our youth: possession football."

Xavi rose to fame at Barcelona, where he appeared in over 767 matches while helping the Catalan giants win countless trophies during his over 20-year stretch with the club.

He also played a pivotal role during Spain's rise to prominence on the international stage. Xavi was included on Spanish teams that won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.