I won the World Cup and then the lottery – but my jackpot was less than two weeks’ wages at Barcelona
BARCELONA legend Xavi won a Qatari lottery during the final years of his playing career.
The Spanish icon’s 17-year stint in the Catalan giants’ first team came to an end in 2015 when he joined Middle Eastern outfit Al Sadd.
He spent four years playing and coaching for the Qatari side – in the middle of which he won £250,000 in the Doha Bank lottery.
Now Barcelona‘s head coach, Xavi, 43, who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010, earned more in a fortnight with the Catalan side – around £170,000-a-week – than he received in lottery winnings.
But he was still left stunned and over the moon at his incredibly fortunate windfall.
Speaking after the lottery result, he said: “Winning the QR1m cash prize was an unexpected but welcome surprise.
“I had opened my account at Doha Bank on December 5, 2016, as I had taken interest in the Al Dana programme after hearing about how Doha Bank encourages their customers to save money, and get a chance to become millionaires, as well as the opportunity to win other cash prizes.
“I started to invest with the Al Dana Savings programme, aiming to win the QR1m.
“Today, I can say that I’m happy that I opened an Al Dana Savings account and invested my savings.
“I would like to thank Doha Bank for this opportunity and I wish the same luck unto the other Al Dana customers in the future.”
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Xavi was presented with a huge novelty cheque after claiming the lottery sum.
But money is no issue for the former Spanish midfielder – who is now the manager of his boyhood club.
And he is set to lead Barcelona to the LaLiga title this season.
Barcelona hold an 11-point lead over bitter rivals Real Madrid with just six games remaining.