Xavi vs Luka Modrić: Xavi Hernández and Luka Modrić are two of the best midfielders in football, each with their style and success.
Xavi, who trained at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, played a key role in Barcelona’s and Spain’s golden years. He was known for his amazing passing, vision, and control of the game. Xavi was central to Barcelona’s tiki-taka style. He played 767 matches for the club, winning 8 La Liga titles and 4 UEFA Champions League trophies. He also led Spain to win the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships. Xavi was known for controlling games with his passing and positioning.
Luka Modrić, on the other hand, is more versatile. He’s great at passing but also known for dribbling, moving the ball forward, and helping both in attack and defense. Modrić was key in Real Madrid winning six UEFA Champions League titles and four La Liga titles. In 2018, he broke the Messi-Ronaldo dominance by winning the Ballon d’Or after leading Croatia to the World Cup final. Even in his late 30s, Modrić is still performing at the top level, breaking records for Croatia and achieving great success with both club and country.
Xavi focused more on controlling the game through short passes and positional play, while Modrić brings more energy and physical presence, able to run with the ball and contribute in all areas.
Both players have left a lasting mark on football—Xavi with Barcelona and Modrić with Real Madrid and Croatia.
In this article, we discuss Xavi vs Luka Modrić: Who is the Best Footballer?
Xavi vs Luka Modrić All-Time Stats
Xavi has scored over 120 goals in his career, while Modrić has scored over 127. Xavi is well-known for his creativity, with more assists—over 251 compared to Modrić’s 161.
Both are listed among the players with the most assists. They are also skilled penalty takers, with Xavi scoring over 3 penalties and Modrić converting over 23. Both players have won 33 trophies in their careers.
Here are their all-time stats.
| TOTALS | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 1064 | 1057 |
| Goals | 124 | 127 |
| Ratio | 0.11 | 0.12 |
| Assists | 251 | 161 |
| Penalty | 3 | 23 |
| Free Kick | 16 | 2 |
| Hat Tricks | N/A | |
| Trophies | 33 | 33 |
| Ballon d’Or | – | 1 |
| European Golden Shoe | – | – |
Xavi vs Luka Modrić Goals, Assists & Trophies at Club Level
In their club careers, both Xavi and Modrić have been outstanding. Xavi played 931 matches, scored 112 goals, made 217 assists, and won 29 trophies. Modrić, on the other hand, has played 877 matches, scored 100 goals, made 132 assists, and won 33 trophies. Modrić has more trophies, Xavi has scored more goals.
| Stat | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 931 | 877 |
| Goals | 112 | 100 |
| Assists | 217 | 132 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 652′ | 709′ |
| Minutes Played | 73.072′ | 58.847′ |
| Trophies | 29 | 33 |
Xavi vs Luka Modrić Goals, Assists & Trophies at National Level
In their national team careers, both Xavi and Modrić have been impressive, but Xavi has a slight edge in terms of trophies.
Modrić has played 180 matches, scored 27 goals, and made 29 assists but hasn’t won any international trophies. However, he was a runner-up in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League.
Xavi, on the other hand, has won the 2010 World Cup, two EURO Championships (2008, 2012), and the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1999 with Spain.
| Stat | Xavi | Modric |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 133 | 180 |
| Goals | 12 | 27 |
| Assists | 34 | 29 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 784′ | 531′ |
| Minutes Played | 9.410′ | 14.329′ |
| Trophies | 4 | – |
Who’s More Impressive in the World Cup? Goals, Assists & Trophies
When it comes to World Cup performances, Xavi has a better record than Modrić. Modrić has scored 19 goals in three World Cups, while Xavi has scored 15. Xavi also has 2 assists, compared to Modrić’s 1. The biggest difference is in World Cup trophies: Xavi won one in 2010, while Modrić has not won any, although he was a runner-up in 2018.
Xavi’s more assists and his World Cup win highlight his superior performance on football’s biggest stage. However, Modrić also played well in the World Cups, but unfortunately, he did not win the tournament.
| Stat | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 15 | 19 |
| Goals | – | 2 |
| Assists | 2 | 1 |
| Penalty | – | 1 |
| Minutes Per Goal | – | 824′ |
| Minutes Played | 1.123′ | 1.648′ |
| World Cup | 1 | – |
Who’s More Impressive in EURO? Goals, Assists & Trophies
When comparing Xavi and Modrić in the UEFA European Championship (EURO), there are clear differences.
Xavi has scored 1 goal and made 4 assists in the EURO tournaments, winning the championship twice in 2008 and 2012.
In comparison, Modrić has scored 4 goals and made 1 assist in EURO tournaments, but he has not won the title so far.
Xavi’s achievements highlight his success in European competitions, while Modrić’s record shows his strong performance, although he has not won the tournament.
| Stat | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 11 | 16 |
| Goals | 1 | 4 |
| Assists | 4 | 1 |
| Penalty | – | 1 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 904′ | 365′ |
| Minutes Played | 904′ | 1.461′ |
| EURO | 2 | – |
Who’s More Impressive in Champions League? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In the UEFA Champions League, Xavi stands out with the most goals, having scored 11 in 151 matches. He won the trophy 4 times in 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, and 2014–15.
Modrić has scored 9 goals in 129 matches and provided 18 assists. He has won the Champions League 6 times with Real Madrid, in 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2021–22, and 2023–24. While Xavi has more goals, Modrić has more titles.
| Stat | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 151 | 129 |
| Goals | 11 | 9 |
| Assists | 31 | 18 |
| Penalty | 2 | 1 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 1.031′ | 1.050′ |
| Minutes Played | 11.338′ | 9.451′ |
| Champions League | 4 | 6 |
Who’s More Impressive in La Liga? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In La Liga, both Modrić and Xavi have impressive records, but they differ in several key areas.
Xavi scored 58 goals in 505 matches, averaging 0.11 goals per match. He made 130 assists and won 8 La Liga titles with Barcelona.
Modrić scored 28 goals in 367 matches, averaging about 0.07 goals per match. He also provided 60 assists and won 4 La Liga titles with Real Madrid.
Xavi leads in both goals and assists and has more titles. His overall contribution and success in La Liga highlight his outstanding career in Spanish football.
| Stat | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 505 | 367 |
| Goals | 58 | 28 |
| Assists | 130 | 60 |
| Penalty | – | 2 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 676′ | 924′ |
| Minutes Played | 39.182′ | 25.874′ |
| La Liga | 8 | 4 |
Who’s More Impressive in Stars League/Premier League? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In the Stars League/Premier League, Xavi stands out with the most goals, having scored 20 in 81 matches. He won the trophy once in the 2018–19 season.
Modrić scored 13 goals in 127 matches and provided 18 assists but did not win any trophies with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Xavi has more goals, titles, and assists overall.
| Stat | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 81 | 127 |
| Goals | 20 | 13 |
| Assists | 24 | 18 |
| Penalty | – | 1 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 348′ | 824′ |
| Minutes Played | 6.961′ | 10.711′ |
| Stars League/Premier League | 1 | – |
Xavi and Luka Modrić Matches Against Each Other
Xavi and Modrić have faced each other 9 times across various competitions, with Xavi generally having the edge. Xavi won 5 of those matches, while Modrić won 3. In these encounters, neither player scored any goals.
| Matches | Xavi W | D | Modric W | Xavi G | Modric G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | – | – |
Who Has More Trophies?
Both Modrić and Xavi have won a total of 33 trophies in their careers.
Modrić’s trophies include 4 La Liga titles, 6 UEFA Champions League titles, and 2 Copa del Rey victories. His international honors include being the FIFA World Cup runner-up in 2018, third place in 2022, and the UEFA Nations League runner-up in 2022–23.
Xavi has also won 33 trophies, including 4 UEFA Champions League titles, 10 La Liga titles, and 6 Spanish Super Cup titles. His international achievements include winning the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012, as well as the World Cup in 2010.
| Competition | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| La Liga | 8 | 4 |
| Copa del Rey | 3 | 2 |
| Spanish Super Cup | 6 | 5 |
| UEFA Champions League | 4 | 6 |
| UEFA Super Cup | 2 | 5 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 2 | 5 |
| Qatar Stars League | 1 | – |
| Qatar Cup | 1 | – |
| Sheikh Jassim Cup | 1 | – |
| Emir of Qatar Cup | 1 | – |
| FIFA World Youth Championship | 1 | – |
| FIFA World Cup | 1 | – |
| EURO | 2 | – |
| Prva HNL | – | 3 |
| Croatian Cup | – | 2 |
| Croatian Super Cup | – | 1 |
| TOTAL | 33 | 33 |
Who Has More Individual Awards?
Modrić has won more individual awards than Xavi. He has claimed the Ballon d’Or once, the FIFA World Player of the Year once, and the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award once. He also won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball.
In comparison, Xavi has won the Footballer of the Year once and the Player of the Year once.
Modrić has a total of 10 awards, compared to Xavi’s 2. This highlights Modrić’s slight edge in individual honors.
| Awards | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| The Best FIFA Men’s Player | – | 1 |
| Player of the Year | 1 | 6 |
| Ballon d’Or | – | 1 |
| European Golden Shoe | – | – |
| UEFA Best Player in Europe | – | 1 |
| Top Goalscorer | – | |
| TM-Player of the season | – | – |
| Olympic Medalist | – | – |
| Footballer of the Year | 1 | – |
| Pichichi Trophy | – | – |
| FIFA Puskas Award | – | – |
| FIFA World Cup Golden Ball | – | 1 |
| FIFA World Cup Silver Ball | – | – |
| TOTAL | 2 | 10 |
Who Scores More Penalty Goals?
Modrić has scored more penalty goals than Xavi. Xavi has taken 5 penalties, scoring 3 and missing 2, giving him a success rate of 60%.
In comparison, Modrić has taken 29 penalties, scoring 23 and missing 6, which results in a success rate of 79%. This shows Modrić’s higher success rate and overall better performance in penalties compared to Xavi.
| Penalty | Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|---|
| Total Penalty Taken | 5 | 29 |
| Total Penalty Scored | 3 | 23 |
| Total Penalty Missed | 2 | 6 |
| Success Rate | 60% | 79% |
Who Scores More Free Kick Goals?
Xavi is known for his incredible precision in free kicks, having scored around 16 free-kick goals in his career. In comparison, Modrić has scored approximately 2 free-kick goals. This highlights Xavi’s skill and effectiveness in taking free kicks compared to Modrić.
| Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|
| 16 | 2 |
Who Has More Hat Tricks?
| Xavi | Modrić |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
Who’s the Better Passer?
Both players are great passers. Xavi is often seen as the better passer because he has more assists and played a key role in controlling the midfield during Barcelona’s strong years.
However, Modrić is also a standout passer in modern football because he can adjust his passing style to different situations.
Who’s the Best Dribbler?
When we compare Xavi and Modrić in dribbling, Modrić is usually seen as the better dribbler.
Who Has the Best Heading Skills?
Xavi is better at heading because he scores well and wins aerial duels, even though it’s not his main skill. Modrić can head the ball but doesn’t focus on it as much.
Who Is Faster?
Luka Modrić is usually seen as the faster player, especially in acceleration and moving with the ball.
Xavi is great at quick passing and positioning, but Modrić is quicker overall.
Who’s the Ultimate Winner?
In the end, both players are legends, and who is the “ultimate winner” depends on personal opinion and what aspects of football you value more. It’s fair to celebrate both Xavi and Modrić as two of the greatest midfielders in football history.