Xavi Retirement From Spain: Ranking His 5 Best Performances

On Tuesday, Spaniards everywhere endured a sad but inevitable day. Xavi Hernandez, arguably the greatest midfielder ever to put on his country's shirt, announced his retirement from the world stage. Xavi accumulated 133 caps during his tenure and won 100 of those games.

"I think my time there [for Spain] has finished," he said. "I am happy to enter a new stage at Barca. I think that at the end of the season we will achieve things."

Despite his achievements, his career ended in ignominy. He made his debut in 2000 against the Netherlands, won the World Cup against the same team, but then endured a 5-1 loss in what is his final game in the red shirt.

But a man with his resume undoubtedly went through a plethora of great performances and only a few poor ones. The last few years undoubtedly featured more of the latter, but Xavi will always be remembered for his highlights. Here are Xavi's best games for Spain.

4. Euro 2008 Semifinal vs. Russia

Xavi has never been much of a goal scorer. He finished with only 13 for Spain throughout his career. For his club Barcelona he has only managed 56 goals in 474 games, a span of 16 years!

But when he scores, the goals tend to be important.

That was certainly the case in Spain's first semifinal in decades. He scored the opener against an aggressive Russia team and settled Spain in a rather tentative match. He created more scoring chances thereafter, as Spain rode to a 3-0 semifinal win.

3. Euro Cup 2008 Final vs. Germany

There is clearly a trend here. Xavi was awarded the player of the tournament after the Euro 2008, and for good reason. Xavi was heroic in the Russia game, but he was arguably even better when it counted most in the final. He set up Fernando Torres' goal in the 33rd minute (something he would replicate four years later) and dictated the play throughout the tournament. Spain actually ended that game with less possession than the Germans, but that had more to do with the Germans chasing the score for most of the game. Spain did create more chances throughout (13-4) and Xavi was a major reason for that.

2. World Cup 2010 Semifinal vs. Germany

Xavi and Spain struggled in their quarterfinals date against Paraguay and were nearly eliminated in the match. But in the semifinal against Germany, Xavi and company dominated from the start to the finish of the match. The game admittedly lacked the flair or excitement expected from a titanic showdown, but Spain's gameplan was to suffocate its rivals with a conservative passing strategy. Xavi was at the center of this fulcrum and played with tremendous precision and awareness. Xavi rarely gave the ball away throughout the match and provided the picture-perfect assist off a corner kick. To quote Zonal Marking on his performance, "Xavi was the star man -- completing more passes than any other player, running a greater distance than any other player, dictating the game from the center of midfield, and providing the assist for the goal." A perfect game.

1. Euro Final 2012 vs. Italy

Xavi made a decision to retire after the final of the Euro 2012. At age 32, he felt that his influence throughout the tournament had waned and that he was no longer as potent as he had been in years past. But in that final Xavi proved why he was one of the greatest midfielders of all time. Spain dominated possession (60-40) and completed 83 percent of their passes. Xavi had 101 touches in the match and successfully completed 94 percent of his passes. No other player had as many touches as Xavi in the match.

More importantly, he was the catalyst behind the team's goals.

He was instrumental in the buildup to the opening goal, before setting up the second with tremendous pace and precision on his through ball to Jordi Alba. The third goal was also a result of his magic. He intercepted the ball in the Italian half and then put Fernando Torres in alone on goal to clinch the Euro Cup.

This game was probably the last time Spain saw Xavi at his best. And it is fitting that it was his finest performance in a terrific career for his country.