Shock as ex-Barcelona manager Xavi applies for India national team job and receives swift rejection

Former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez reportedly applied for the India national team role following Manolo Marquez’s exit earlier in July.

But despite his decorated resume and global stature, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) quickly ruled him out.

Xavi, a football legend with over 700 appearances for Barcelona and a La Liga-winning manager, formally submitted his application to the AIFF.

“It’s correct that Xavi’s name was there,” confirmed AIFF team director Subrata Paul, who also added, “The application was emailed to the AIFF.”

According to The Times of India, the technical committee, despite being surprised by the quality of applicants, swiftly deemed the Spaniard financially out of reach.

One committee member said, “Even if Xavi was genuinely interested in Indian football and could be convinced to take up the job, we would need a lot of money.”

Interestingly, Xavi has shown a passing interest in Indian football. In a recent interview with The Athletic, he said he “sometimes (follows) the Indian League because many Spanish coaches are there.”

His ties to Spanish tacticians like Sergio Lobera and Juan Ferrando in the Indian Super League added credibility to his application.

Still, despite his managerial success at Al-Sadd and Barcelona, including a league title and Supercopa win, the AIFF simply could not afford the costs that came with such a high-profile appointment.