Xavi is the best midfielder in the world. I'd rather have him on my team than any other player in the world excluding Messi an Ronalo. What is remarkable about Xavi is that his skill lies not in goalscoring but in his extraordinary passing ability. He is the perfect passer.

All students of football should study him along with Scholes and Fabregas. Watch their movement toward the ball, watch their head movements when they receive the ball, watch where they direct the ball. Consider why they do what they do and how you can adapt that to your game. As Xavi says on youth development,

"Some youth academies worry about winning, we worry about education. You see a kid who lifts his head up, who plays the pass first time, pum, and you think, 'Yep, he'll do.' Bring him in, coach him. Our model was imposed by [Johan] Cruyff; it's an Ajax model. It's all about rondos [piggy in the middle]. Rondo, rondo, rondo. Every. Single. Day. It's the best exercise there is. You learn responsibility and not to lose the ball. If you lose the ball, you go in the middle. Pum-pum-pum-pum, always one touch. If you go in the middle, it's humiliating, the rest applaud and laugh at you."

I also enjoyed what Xavi said about Paul Scholes,

"Paul Scholes! A role model. For me – and I really mean this – he's the best central midfielder I've seen in the last 15, 20 years. I've spoken to Xabi Alonso about him. He's spectacular, he has it all: the last pass, goals, he's strong, he doesn't lose the ball, vision. If he'd been Spanish he might have been rated more highly. Players love him."

English football coaching culture is adapting to focus more on possession football and this is such a positive move. All you have to do is think of the best teams in the world and whether they are possession-focussed teams. Yes, they are. Well Paul Scholes will go down in the English football history books as the first English midfielder who not only adopted a European possession approach to midfield play but excelled as one of the best players in the world. It is true what Xavi says that Scholes probably would have been rated higher had he been Spanish or Italian, but I hope that Scholes will have a more long-lasting impact in English football culture.

Students, always look to get open and call for the ball; before you receive it, look up to know where your teammates are; make sure your team keeps that ball.