They all wanted a picture of the boy with golden curls, the La Masia starlet named after a Barcelona legend.
Xavi Simons quickly became a gem in the Catalan giants’ esteemed academy after joining aged seven and was recognised far beyond it.
By the time he was 14, Simons boasted more than a million Instagram followers, a contract with Nike and had starred in an advert alongside Neymar Jr and Ronaldinho.
Compilation videos of the diminutive midfielder flooded YouTube. Clubs, including Chelsea, began to circle. Simons was an icon before he was fully grown – a social media-age Sonny Pike, a Gen-Z Freddy Adu. The likes fuelled the hype and the hype fuelled the likes.
“I remember the people, ‘Xavi, Xavi, photo, photo!’,” explains former La Masia coach Pau Moral, who first witnessed his popularity at a national under-12s tournament.
“It was not easy for him. Some people said ‘maybe he is playing now because his hair is long, because he is beautiful’, you know? ‘Maybe when he grows, nothing…’
“But no, no, this player was different!”
Now 21, Simons is once again one of the most sought after players in Europe.
Contracted to Paris St-Germain but having impressed last season on loan at RB Leipzig, clubs including Arsenal, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are among those to have been linked.
It has already been a unique journey for a versatile prospect who operates on either wing or behind the striker and speaks six languages.
“I know what I want to achieve with my football career,” says Simons. “My path has not been the easiest one. A lot of ups and downs.”
Child star, teen social media icon, hot prospect beginning to realise his potential – the next task in Simons’ fledgling career is to deliver for the Netherlands at Euro 2024.
‘An animal’ – the young star
Named Xavi after the former Barcelona and Spain midfielder – his older brother Faustino takes his name from the ex-Colombia, Newcastle and Parma forward Asprilla – Amsterdam-born Simons was only three when the family relocated to Alicante after his father, Regillio, called time on his own playing career.
Regillio, a former striker in the Dutch top flight, once said his son, by the age of three or four, could watch and understand games at a level far beyond his years.
His talent was also undeniable. There were offers from local clubs Elche and Cadiz as well as Villarreal, but then Barcelona came calling with an opportunity too good to ignore.
His footballing education would take place at the iconic La Masia. Simons proved a star student.
“Technically he was super, but the mentality and the behavior on the pitch was different,” remembers Moral. “His attitude was like a winner, always.
“He is a very good guy, a bit shy, not the guy who is always speaking but on the pitch he is an animal. All the time with his friends ‘come on, come on’, motivating them.”
In an interview after joining the academy, Simons – who became good friends with current Barca and Spain left-back Alejandro Balde – said he liked “having the ball, scoring, passing and changing the tempo”.
“He was very small, one of the smallest players in the academy, but he was fast and he was strong,” adds Moral, who also trained Spain star Gavi.
“He was never afraid, always wanted the ball, always wanted to do his best. You could feel his energy. He would play ‘pow, pow, pow’ all the time.”
Yet at 16, Simons’ career trajectory took a huge detour. Having failed to reach an agreement with Barcelona, he joined PSG, following in the footsteps of his idol Neymar – saying the Brazilian looked after him like a “little brother”.
Simons’ mother, Peggy, instructed him to take French lessons to integrate better with team-mates, adding to his Dutch, Spanish, Catalan and English.
Simons was surrounded by icons. As well as Neymar there was Kylian Mbappe, Angel di Maria and later Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos to learn from.
But equally important to the youngster was his family, playing ping pong or Uno together and, with his Surinamese heritage, eating bami, saoto soup and rotia.
“When I made the step to Paris at 16 years old, I was just a child,” explains Simons. “I learned that the mental health part of football was really important.
“Sometimes I have to just relax, not think all day about football, I have another life that is different.”
At 17, in February 2021, he made his debut but further opportunities were limited and, by the end of the following season, Simons had accumulated just 11 senior appearances in all competitions.
He went in search of regular football.
Despite being born in the country and representing the Netherlands at youth level, Simons had never played for a Dutch club before joining PSV in 2022.
Fans were aware of this talented kid with a huge social media following who had been at Barcelona and PSG, but they were yet to see what he could produce.
“Everybody was anxious to see how he was going to do and everybody expected a lot from him,” recalls Bolo Zenden, a former PSV player and coach.
Simons scored on his debut as PSV beat Ajax in the Johan Cruyff Shield and then lit up the Eredivisie with 19 goals, making him the league’s joint-top scorer, and nine assists.
“He blew away everybody with his style of play, his attitude, his pace, his skills,” adds Zenden. “He really looked like a full-grown player.”
Simons earned a place at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, coming on against the USA in the last 16 for his international debut, but also the attention of former club PSG, who with the player’s wishes exercised their option to buy him back.
They immediately sent him out on loan, with Simons deciding RB Leipzig was the best place to continue his development. It proved fruitful for both parties, delivering 10 goals and 15 assists in all competitions last season.
“He’s almost a prototype for what we want for our game,” said boss Marco Rose. “He enjoys chasing the ball and tackling, radiates enormous energy with and against the ball, and is also a gifted footballer.”
Simons is yet to really translate that club form into performances for the Netherlands, however, with one goal in 15 caps. Before the Euros, former Ajax and PSV coach Aad de Mos said there was “too much hype” around him.
“At times I think he is too eager,” explains former Netherlands winger Zenden. “Not eager as in selfish, but eager to do well.”
Simons played the opening hour of his side’s opening 2-1 win over Poland and boss Ronald Koeman sees him as “one of the greatest talents” in the Dutch squad.
“He is a threat,” adds Zenden. “He has got the right attitude, he’s got the skills, he’s got the engine, he is willing to work hard, he is never complaining. Any manager would like him in his team.”
On Friday, he will hope to be given the opportunity to showcase that talent against a France side that will feature several PSG team-mates past and present, when they meet in Leipzig.
“He is a very talented player who has so much to give,” adds Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk.
“He can still be so much better than he is already but he has a good mentality, so I am not worried that won’t happen. I am confident in him.”
The journey to this point may have already been complex and unconventional for Simons but, in an orange shirt, perhaps this is just the beginning.
