Position: Midfielder
Born: 25.01.80
Club: Barcelona

Having only returned to action for the last two games of the Spanish season after a long-term injury, Xavi will have been sweating on his place in the squad - but national coach Luis Aragones has seen enough in the past to know all about this cultured midfielder.

The man Barca have long seen as the new Josep Guardiola, Xavi bases his game on passing ability rather than workrate, preferring to leave the real hard graft to the likes of David Albelda.

Part of the Barcelona set-up since the age of 11, Xavi has the club in his blood and made his debut for the Catalan giants as a raw - but clearly hugely talented - 18-year-old.

The confidence he has picked up having featured in the Barca side ever since makes him a mature individual who belies his tender years and before his injury problems he was showing just how good he is.

Still prone to drifting in and out of games at times, but when he is firing on all cylinders there are few more dangerous players in European football.