Football Daily - Wayne Rooney Meets…Xavi Simons: What It’s REALLY Like Being a Wonderkid

Episode Date: December 27, 2025

Wayne Rooney, Kelly Somers and Kae Kurd sit down with Xavi Simons at Tottenham’s training ground for a rare and revealing conversation.Xavi reflects on his journey from child prodigy with 2 million Instagram followers at 12, to international star navigating moves from the Netherlands to Barcelona, PSG, Leipzig and now London. He shares what it was like leaving Barça at 16, walking into a PSG dressing room with Neymar and Mbappé, and why Neymar became a mentor.He opens up about choosing Tottenham, his Premier League ambitions, and the player who’s impressed him most in England. Plus, Wayne recalls Ruud van Nistelrooy’s fiery clashes with Cristiano Ronaldo, his childhood idol Duncan Ferguson, and even the time Barcelona’s goalkeeper drove over his foot.You can watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube, iPlayer, as well as listen on BBC Sounds.

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New customers start for free at go-dadi.com. That's go-dadi.com to get the lowest-priced website builder, guaranteed. And for me, it was like more, I just want to play football. That is the part that you have to do. I got death threats in my parents' house was getting spray painted in. Because he was there, that's a Veretti and... Oh, the guys, Tiago Silva, Marquino, San Barbe, Neymar. What was that like walking in the first day?

He actually went to jail. And I was a young boy who supported Evan, so I used to write to him in jail. And then he'd write back. What were the letters saying? What were you... It was just me saying him, telling him how much I love him, basically. Well, we are all back together again. And before we go any further, Kame,

I'm going to let you set the scene because you're pretty excited about where we are. Honestly, I was saying if they offer all-inclusive packages, I'd sign up for it because this place is amazing. It's like, it's like an airport lounge, like a really expensive airport lounge. This bit looks like the Big Brotherhouse, but out there is just incredible.

Like, I'd sign for Spurs if they're... So you've only under them expensive lounges, yeah? I've been there once or two. I'm sure you're no strangers here as well you did mention it then we are at Tottenham hotspurs training ground we've joined by a very special guest Javi simon thank you for being on the Wayne Rooney show with us and welcome along how has it been settling into life in England so far thank you thank you very much a pleasure to be here for sure for me and and yeah at the end coming to new country new new club new seat and new environment is special but at the same time

You know, you have said that, but really fast because the games are coming fast and, yeah, and try to enjoy this little moments, I would say. Are you enjoying the training ground as much as Kay is? Is it as nice the other bits as well? Yeah, I told them before already. I didn't see even the half of the training ground yet, and that's how big the training ground is. And, yeah, it's really, really special to come here every day and enjoy to be here.

At the end, seeing all the stuff and to try to do your best here. I think here the bill for the gardener must be so expensive coming to the landkeeping the flowers and it's incredible we used to come here with England to you've been with England I've been but I went to the wrong bit because we're never allowed in this posh bit we're kind of in the media bit over there you've been in this bit I'm guessing no I haven't said even you're not allowed in this bit look we just come go on the training ground over there I think it was yeah I think we would do the

side of the goal yeah it's a nice training ground though is it did you always think that when you came here like yeah it's the best because we trained here we trained I still as well, and this was by far the best one. It's nice, isn't it? It makes up for the bad weather, doesn't it? That's true. It's a bad weather day today, you know, to be able to today, isn't it? It's not looking at its finest out there, but the training ground looking great.

We're fascinated by your journey, Javi, because we were talking just before we started recording, we were asking you where you call home, because you've lived and played in so many different countries, haven't you? Yeah, at the end, I'm lucky to be 22. and to live, yeah, already a lot of, a lot of things that maybe other players never, never experienced that. I was born in Holland, but when I was three years old, my mom decided to go to Spain. And then from Spain, when I was six-year-old, Barcelona scouted me. And then from there on until 16, I was in Barcelona, then three years in Paris, one year back to my country

that was in Aintel, then two years in Leipzig, and now here. But I would say like in every place I took a little bit, something. But at the end, the years where I grew up more and I've been there more was Barcelona. My family is still living there. So I would say, yeah, the connection with Barcelona, Holland, that's the two parts. You said you took something from every place you were. What have you taken from, what are the main things you've taken from each country? I think from everything in general to adapt to the culture of the country.

I'm someone, I'm going to a new environment. I know to adapt as quick as possible. I need to adapt to the people that are there. So I need to try to understand them and try to understand the situation I'm going into. So I would say that at the end is the most important thing. And obviously speaking the language is one of the main. priorities, I would say. How many languages do you speak? Sorry, Wayne.

I speak five languages. Five languages. And most of them I've learned in school, like English, Spanish, I learned school. Then I went to a French, French, sorry. And I learned listening and talking with my teammates, not going to school, but just being every day with them

and speaking, even knowing that I was not speaking that good at the start. And they tried to help me a little bit like, okay, no, this words, this world like this. And at the end, nowadays, I speak French fluently. What was it like for you being at Barcelona at that time because you were literally surrounded by superstars, watching superstars everywhere you went? Yeah. For me that was my dream. Like my name is Charlie because of Charlie Hernandez.

My mom, she put the name because of him and being there for me was, yeah, was the So, yeah, it was a dream and being there living and seeing all these players, Messia, Niesta, Chavez Nandes, and seeing them every day. I saw them a lot of times in the training ground and that was like a big inspiration for me as well to, yeah, to see these kind of players was such incredible. Did anybody sort of take you under their wing and give you advice or? In the start not because I was really young but after when I started growing up and I was getting close to the first team, Neymah was there.

Okay. And I did a commercial, I remember when I was 12 years old with him. And at that time, Neymah for me was, wow, this is my idol. Like I was always watching on YouTube, like Neymar skills, how do these girls? And one day I did a commercial with him and I remember going home back. And I sit down with my mom and my brother, I said to my mom, okay, one day I will play with this guy. I need to play, like 100% I need to play with my idol.

And then I remember my brother, he was laughing at me. He said, yeah, Charlie, come on, come on. So, yeah, Neymar was the one like, and after, obviously, he went to PSG. I was really sad for one day when he left Barser to go to PGG. But, yeah, and then one year later, I joined PSG. And I luckily, yeah, made this dream come true as well. They say never meet your heroes. What was it like meeting him?

Was he everything you hoped he'd be? Yeah, I was 12 years old when I met him for the first time and you can imagine like, for me, my eyes were like this, like, wow, I touched them a little bit. You know? So for me at that time, like, yeah, this was, there was the dream. And then, yeah, 16, playing with him was amazing feeling. Wayne, who was your idol when you were kind of grown up? Not so much as... As Neymar, but my arm was more Duncan Ferguson.

There was a guy who played for Everton. No, that's a tough night in many years. And he actually went to jail. And I was a young boy who supported Evan, so I used to write to him in jail. And then he'd write back. So I was the same, similar to like 12, something like that. And then four years later, I played alongside him.

So for me, that was like, yeah. Letters? What were the letters saying? What were you? me saying, and telling him how much I love him, basically. Week after week. What was he saying back? Well, thanks for me and for life.

Obviously, when you're in jail as well, you take anything in him. So when you actually met him, did you tell him I was the one right in the little? Yeah. And then, because I was too young to drive as well, so he'd take me home from training. My family were all massive Evertonians and told Duncan Ferguson, he'd take me home to my mum's house. Oh, wow. And like, my dad's out of the window.

But yeah, so that was surreal. But I think there's so many, like Ronaldo, Arnan, for me as well, just watching him play. It was incredible. He was like my favourite player, really. You mentioned there your dad, and it sounds like your family as well, wanted you to go to Barcelona. And that was a big thing for them. What did they make of this when you got this dream move that you'd wanted? Yeah, I remember when I was six, my mom, she came to me one day.

she said to me like um chavi we need to go to we need to go to barcelona to a friend of mine she's working there so we need to be there and and yeah just with two days off but she didn't tell me like barcelona scalded me in barcelona wanted me to train there and to and to be there so i was just thinking like mom i want to be here with my friends and in my neighbor i don't want to go to barcelona and she come on come on and then we went and then i remember we're in the car she said okay we need to go to the supermarket so we were driving and then suddenly I saw the big logo of Barcelona and I was asking like what are we doing she said like yeah surprised you can you can trade with Barcelona they call and just enjoy yourself and then I remember like she

bring me to the door and for me like was switching it up and yeah for them was a dream as well I must be incredible yeah so is it similar for you on your first like Everton Yeah, but obviously I lived like five minutes. Five minutes of the train car, so we had so much of a surprise like that. But we went to the New Camp with the school on a visit. And I was about to, I think it was my first year in senior school. So I was off 11.

And we went to remember we went outside the training ground. And so I remember Ruth Hesp. Okay. Goalkeeper. We're all around his car and he's throw off and he's throw over my foot. We were young. That was like my claim to fame when I was young, the husband

drove over my foot, but I don't imagine to keep that, I couldn't do that with my kids as a surprise, I'd be too excited. I'd have to tell them. She was more excited than me, but... Yeah, she's doing well. Were you happy she didn't tell you

and kept it a surprise? Yeah. Makes a better story. Yeah. Yeah, no, yeah, if I think it like this, no, yes. Because at that age, it might be a bit too much pressure, do you think?

Or do you think you've learned to deal with that pressure from a young age? Yeah, I think at the end, at that time I wouldn't feel the pressure, I would say, because I have an older brother and I always been like together with him and always playing with his friends and that was more like kind of pressure to play with the friends of my brother and enjoying that, you know. But yeah, growing up and being on the spotlight of that so young age, that yeah, obviously the pressure is there.

But I think with the years, the years, I took really, yeah, I took really advantage of it and knew how to deal it. But it was hard, obviously. You two have got a lot in common, I suppose, in terms of being young superstars, players that kind of made a big name for themselves and had everyone talking about you at such a young age. You've spoken about it before, Wayne. It brings huge pressure even if you didn't maybe always feel it because you seem to be able to brush it off. Yeah, it was. and I think for me for Jari now the difference

is social media and when I was young I was in the local newspapers and so it was everyone in Liverpool really knew me now it so I have it now with my boy who's 16 and he's on social media he's plays from my United he's sponsored by Puma

and you know there's 100,000 or millions of people who were watching them when that young and I didn't have that really but being a young player and playing a playing going into the first team especially is you're getting judged and rightly or wrongly you get judging you it's that's where you need the people around your people at the club or your

family to try and you know keep you in a good place because we can all get carried away with with social media as well so it's a thing's really important that them people who are close to have you've got your best interest to have it's the main thing because isn't it right you had around 2 million followers before you'd even made your professional debut. So there was a lot of people interested in you before you'd kind of even really made a name for yourself on the pitch. Yeah, I say what we're saying. Nowadays it's more like kind of normal. But at my time when I was I remember I was 12 or 13, I had already 2 million followers. I remember at that time was not normal and social media was coming up and at that time I think yeah, maybe the,

the club where I was on the environment where I was was as well something new for them like a young young guy of 12 or 13 years old having two million followers as more than one guy of the first team like how are we going to deal with it how it's going to be for him in his head and I think at that time was really hard for everyone because they were we were looking into like okay how yeah how we're going to deal with it in a positive way and at the end at the end was more my mom me and my together like okay how we can manage it in a positive way even though people maybe see it in a negative way or always judging and that's the social media part and yeah i was more there like

okay i'm here my all with my family and we have to protect ourselves and we have to find a way to do certain things at that age did you get someone to manage your social media for you because i can imagine two million followers for a grown adult like myself will be too much much to deal with. So for a 13-year-old to have access to that many people, was it, did you go, I can't deal with this and get somebody else about it? Or were you on there reading the comments? No, it's funny because at the start I remember of Instagram, for example, my brother had more followers than me. And he was always saying, you know, I have more followers than you. And suddenly, I remember one day he came home and he said, Charlie, look at Instagram, you're getting followers.

And I was like scrolling and every time, every second more. And more followers, like, and more followers, What was happening to close that? Because I played a tournament in Miami and we won and I was best player. So it was on the television and people were seeing and like this, it went. And I remember he's saying, no, now it's impossible. I never catch you again, you know. But at that time, I arrived in a certain point that my mom said, okay, you cannot handle this. And even my mom, she said, like, I cannot handle this.

I don't know how to do social media. I don't know how to do certain things. So at that time, my mom and my brother, they look into certain persons to try to help me. And that happened. I had a team. I was 13 years old and I already had my team to try to help me on a positive way to manage it. But at the same time, you have the maybe the negative way that is like people may be seeing like, okay, this 13 years old, what does he think?

He has already a social media team and people. posting for him but it was more like my mom trying to protect me and trying to to help me in a positive way I see I didn't have it grown up social media so but I'm more on doing your mom's role now with my son so and and it's sometimes it's not fair as well because you want you you you want I said this to my boy I say I want him to be a kid I want him to enjoy the time being a kid but then you have to try and restrict it as well because And as you said, it's hard to deal with that many people knowing what you're doing and how you're doing it.

So you do have to manage it, definitely. If I'm honest, what you're saying, like, I feel like I've, yeah, I've lost a certain way of my youth. You know, like a normal kid from 13 years old, 12 years old can go to the streets playing with his friends. I remember at that time I couldn't go to the on the streets to play because I. I know kids knew me and they, Javi, please a picture, Javi, auto, and everyone was coming. And for me, it was like more, I just want to play football. I don't want to be influencer or TikTok girl, you know?

I just want to play football and that is the part that you have to do. But it's hard for the kids to understand that. You don't understand why and stuff. So that's, I suppose that's the price you pay. When you go into that world and you're very popular. So it sounds like that kind of change for you overnight. What was that like for you in the, not only with social media, but after that tournament in Miami,

did you feel kind of a change around you, not just online? That was a point that I felt like, okay, it starts now. That's the way I felt it. So my brother, I remember coming back from the tournament, he said, okay, yeah, now you're going to have. a lot of people watching you and and please stay calm if you have a problem was not more about the football side but was more about the mental side that he was saying to me chavi please if you have a problem tell me call me and say to me okay i'm not happy or i'm not you know a certain

situation that that can happen i remember playing games and me losing and i remember kids coming into the pitch and chavi please a picture and i was 14 i was saying no no i lost the game no no I remember coming home and my brother was saying, like, Chavi, you know, these people are coming here just to see you, try to, yeah, make a little smile and take a picture. But that was the thing, like at 40 years old, my family's tried to help me. You have to grow up quickly, don't you? Yeah. I feel that way as well. And I, when I talk with my friends as well, I just say, like, I felt like I needed to grow up earlier than an expected age, like 30, 40 years.

There's a young lad of Manch United who sounds very similar, JJ, Gabriel, and he's in, I think he's got like millions of followers and he's in the same team as my boy. And so I've watched him grow up and developing. He's a fantastic player. He's got such a bright future, but the same with social media and stuff. So I'd imagine he being very similar. But even yourself, you probably have to grow up really quickly as well,

because you, I know there's probably... But you know there's like rules against it now But you were probably in a changing room with grown men Yeah You was, yeah And back then you just You get on with it Where now, when I was coaching

When we have a 16 year old playing In which we had You obviously go through all the safeguarding stuff And you have to sign Obviously when you go to an away game You'd have to sign as the guardian basically And so yeah It's a big difference now to what it was then yeah

Would you have wanted to have grown up with the social media? Are you quite glad you didn't in the way? Savvy's laughing. Yeah, you probably would. You probably would. Obviously, I'm on social media now, but I had to get, well, I was in the first team. I was playing for Manchester United. And then I had to get someone to manage my social media

because I couldn't deal with it then when I was. in the first team. So I was like 24 playing at probably my highest level I played that. And I put some weird tweets after night out or something. I put some mad tweet on. Kay loves your old tweets. Yeah, so I had to get someone to manage it and change the passwords. So yeah. It must have been so surreal. I'm just taking you back to that period when you were like 12 because all of a sudden you were thrust into the spotlight and there were other clubs looking at you as well, weren't they? Is it true that Chelsea tried to sign you around them? Yeah, I remember like, yeah, obviously, yeah, they had interest and other clubs as well,

but I remember my dream was always Barcelona and that was my plan at that time. And yeah, obviously, it's nice that clubs call you and try to show your interest, but I think at that time I didn't need to move on. So you didn't have any big moments like you had your parents being wrong by Sir Alex Ferguson, didn't you? Yeah, but again, I wanted to play for Everton, so there was no way, it's not quite by Barcelona, but there was no way I was going to leave before I play for Everton. What was it like on a football pitch for you from then on them? Because we can talk about the online, but all of a sudden, everyone must have been watching you,

I'm waiting for you to do something in every game. Did it feel like that? Yeah, but if I'm quite honest, until now, I'm still the guy, like, when I step into the pitch, I just enjoy being on the pitch. Like, I'm not thinking what are people going to say or what are people going to think about me. Just until now, even playing in front of 80,000 people, like, when you're on the pitch, you're so focused that you don't see no one, you know, and that time was that as well, that kind of same. Is that something that all really, because you've kind of alluded to that. before yeah that's your home that's where you're comfortable that's where you when you go on the pitch whatever is up and off the pitch good or bad that's where

you feel at home and you want to be all the time that's where I always say think that when you're playing it was like playing underwater and you know that the fan today you know there's noise but it was actually like playing under water and you couldn't really take it take everything in what was getting said but when you score a goal it's it's like you come up for a breath and you then you start here and everything and stuff and So on the football pitchers, that's safest and the best place you can be, for sure. Is that the same for you?

Yeah, it's the same safe place, I would say. Okay, so you were at Barcelona until you were 16, is that right? What was that like leaving Barcelona? Yeah, at that time it was hard, but I think was the best decision I could take at the time. But yeah, it's life, I needed to move on. I felt at that time I needed something. something different. I needed to develop at that time on the highest level of the youth teams and PSG offered me that and offered me as well like the progress to get into

the first team and try to develop as a youth as a youth player. And but I'm not going to lie what was hard because yeah I'm a Barsofan I grew up in Barcelona and maybe at that time people didn't understand it and what Wayne said before the social media nowadays is judgment you know even people don't know in your

own story but it was hard yeah it must be hard because I suppose it's the same for you when you had to leave your boyhood club you were an Everton fan and then leaving to know you need to do it for the next stage of your career yeah I think that's where you have to mentally be stronger to gain people around you have to help

him I got death threats my parent's house was getting spray painted in smashed up my girlfriend at the time, wife now, her parent's house was getting spray painted in and then I think more so leaving was difficult

but because I went to Manchester than Liverpool in Manchester there's a big rivalry so that made it a lot more difficult but you know I was always of the mind that I don't care I knew what I wanted

and knew how what I needed to do to get there and so I had to stay tough in my mind and say, like, if people are and this is my people from my city. So it was tough and but then I thought, I don't care

I need to make it. You have to be selfish but in decisions. It's, for me it's the same. Like, how he's explaining it as well. Like at the end, in your mind you have to be so, so hard and I don't know how old you were there but I was 16 at that time.

But the social media at the time was as well like big big and yeah they had a big impact you know but I remember when I signed after that yeah I sit down and I was looking like all the you know all the messages and and it's hard but at the time I was like okay I don't care I will I will make it I take this decision and I know where I want to go and do a vision and that's it what was it like when you got to PSG I think that was the start of really that was the start of my of my of my professional journey and I was 16 years old I was the first six months with the on the 19 I play youth league and after that I get promoted to the first

team so I was 16 already 16 17 I was with the big big big players there so you give yourself a challenge there yeah but I remember was it there as well yeah no no message is not there I remember I remember the first week when I was there, I trained, you know, the first time with the first team and then I come back home, I said to my mama, mm-mm, I have to go to the gym, I have to, I have to trade more, you know? Because he was there that's some Verrati and all the guys, only mess, you know, was Verati, Tiago Silva, Marquino, Zimbabwe, Neiman. Those training sessions.

Yeah, but. What was that like walking in the first day? I remember, yeah, you are 16, so for you, yeah, that is. It's just crazy, like, yeah, training with them every day, seeing how they, yeah, how they reacts to certain things. I think that was one of the best experience I had. You know, when you're that age, obviously the first time you come in, there's a level of being starstruck by some of these players, but at what point do you switch your mindset and go, oh, actually, these are like my colleagues and I need to show them that I'm good enough to be here.

because you probably had the same thing where you're coming up again. If you're there, you know, how good does to be there? Yeah. And the closest thing I could say to that is, walking in the England restroom, I was 17, and I got in the England national team. And then there was Beckham, Gerard, Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, all these top players who, obviously,

I've grown up watching. Now I'm sat in there for my country, and I'm like, wow, this is like insane. But again, I used to back myself and think, right, I'm like Mike Lowe as the number nine. And I'm thinking, right, I need to take his place. Yeah. So how, so I used to think, how am I going to take his place? And so I'm saying it's that mindset of knowing and thinking he's ahead of me at the minute,

but I need to go and take his place. And so, yeah, your star stuck a little bit, but then you're also, you're after their position. Was it the same for you? It's funny because how he explained it in my head was like as well, like the same. You have to. At the end, when you're on the pitch, there's no age, there is no, you never played, there's nothing about that. It's just the ball and the guys and, yeah, and especially at that level.

Did you ever give someone a tackle or something that they didn't like? Not that, but I was, I'm a person like, when I'm on the pitch, I'm 100% but there, yes, you have, yeah, the big stars is a little bit different. different but but yeah at the end yeah it was just football it's obviously you'll have this in a few years time but I've had the other opposite end as well so I've been playing where I've then seen young players in my team coming through and I'm thinking oh these are coming from yeah yeah yeah in Rashford and my United for instance and younger players are coming through and just like oh you know what's happening for a place yeah in terms of you being there at

that point what were there any particular because it must have been daunting more into that dressing room. Are there anyone in particular that kind of put their arm around you or really helped you during that period to settle in? Yeah. The one that always was there from you was Neymar. Neymar was from the first day, was there from Chavi, if you need something, just hit me up. I went a couple of times to his house, he invited me. Did you take you to the nightclub? No, not that time because I was 17, but I went to his house, we eat, training ground, always taking care of me. And all the, yeah, I spoke a lot to him.

And at that time, obviously I was 17, I didn't play a lot. But as I say to my friends, I think that's the part where I learned the most of until now. Because that time, yeah, 17, training with these guys all day and knowing what they are doing. That was the kind of motivation for me as well. Like, okay, I need to do this to get to that point. So I am willing to do this. do this or I'm not willing. So I remember going back home, going to the gym,

being a whole day focused, like, okay, I need to do this. I need to do more than him because otherwise I would not play. You still keep in contact with Neymar? Yeah, yeah, still contact. Oh, amazing. Yeah, still contact. Just messaging Marina Arna, yeah. That's like an incredible full circle moment, isn't it?

From like him being your idol, age 12, to still being in touch now. Now it's like kind of friends as well. I saw him now in Brazil. I was in Brazil a couple months ago. And now it's just more like, yeah, speaking about life and about the experiences. So that's really nice. Another person that we're told has kind of been a big influence on you is Rud van Nistroy, someone that Wayne knows really well as well.

How has he helped you and kind of influence the player and person you are today? Really important, Ruth Van Nistri for me, because, yeah, he brought me into, I would say, into the spotlight in the professional. professional career and yeah I'm really thankful for everything he did for me and obviously he has been the one like he gave me as well the chance to to go to the national team and make my dream control at 19 playing a World Cup with my with my country is someone that knows rude does it does it come as any surprise to hear that he's been so influential on a young player's career no he was for me as well obviously when I

joined man tonight to um to play with him is he's such an incredible incredible player and finisher so I used to at the time I was young so I went I was raw I wasn't as you know technical as is what rude was and is finishing and what type of finish so I used to stay out with him and and watch him and ask ask asking questions like why would you finish here why would you not do this and I need to explain why and so he was really really important to me as well and um such a top player to play with um and then And I actually never seen him going into management. Why?

No, I didn't. He probably said, same about me. I've never seen him going to management. And then I've seen him when he come back to Manchester United under... 10-Hag. Under 10-Hag. When he came in, I've seen him a couple times. The training ground sat down was nice to catch up a game with him.

But if there's anyone you want to learn from on finishing, it's really incredible. I had a couple of... I was with him in the box finishing. So, yeah, but everyone knows Ruth Vanessa and I think, yeah, crazy player. Has his mentality changed as a player to a manager from what you saw? Oh, mate, he was, he was ruthless, Ruth. And again, when you say about young players coming through trying to take someone's place,

Rude could see us, so there was me and Cristiano. And then, so Rude went from having David Beckham whipping balls into him to Ronaldo chopping and and then you could see him getting frustrated and he walked off the training pitch a few times and you could see you could see he's thinking or these two are coming

and eventually obviously we did and the team changed it went more of a transition team in whatever but yeah so he could see that he's ruthless let's move on to talk a little bit more about you and your kind of mentality and how you prepare because you've

obviously been cast pouted at a very young age you're only 22 and it It feels like with everything that has happened to you, it feels like you should be 32. But you've still got so much of your career ahead of you. What is your mentality, would you say, when you go into games? And how's that changed even in this, at this relative to a young age? I think the mentality I have is, yeah, because of my mom at the end, I think I have the same mentality like her. But if I had to describe, like, one word of my whole mindset and everything,

would say discipline I never negotiate with myself and I've learned that from yeah this kind of players I've learned from these players I know what you have to give up to get to that point and I think obviously in the career of football football a lot of things can happen positive way negative way but I think one one thing for sure is is the discipline and that's no negationable for me Is that similar to you way, as you say? Yeah, I think it's where it's different. I think you deserve a lot of credit for it,

is having the balls to go and move to France and then obviously back to Holland. That's not easy for a young player. I moved away when I was 31 to the USA. And that was tough. So even as a, you know, I've had the best part of my career to move when you're 31. I struggled, so to do it, you know, so many times,

I'm still now only 22. It's deserve a lot of credit for that and taking the languages and the culture and stuff. That's not easy to do. Yeah, because you travel somewhere I speak English. Yeah, so I went 30 minutes down road to Manchester from Liverpool. So for me, that was easy. I still had all my family around and, you know,

I could just drive there, take me 30, 40 minutes to get there. So for me, I think having that mind to be able to do that and go and prove to people. It's a real strong thing to have that. What about in the States? What was the biggest challenge there? No noodles. The food that I had, the food was terrible.

I didn't like her over there. But the challenge there was my youngest boy was three months old. And then obviously, so we went me clearly and four kids. That was tough for us. It was the first time we'd been away from our family. So we struggled. What's been your biggest challenge coming to England? Yeah, obviously you want to perform always and you want to be the highest level always.

Until now everything went really fast with me and everything went really good. And now for the first time it's like a little bit challenging. But yeah, I would say like the team I adapted really good with the team, the group, really nice group. really nice group, the club as well. But yeah, obviously this is part of football, it's part of life, you know. Not every, every time things are going to wait this way, you're going to have some time, it's going to be like this. And I think waking up every day and try to, okay, try to say to yourself,

okay, you need to stand up and today's a new day, new journey. So like this, I look at it now. How's it been kind of coping with coming here? You said there, like, it's been quite challenging. How have you found that in general coming in? Because you've had such a rapid ascent. Yeah. What I said, like I moved on several times and every time was really good and every time was that fast.

And now for the first time, it's like, okay, it's a little bit challenging. But I would say like I enjoyed as well. Obviously I want to perform, but I need to deal with this new situation and I need to know, okay, the day when everything goes good and another time, then I can remember like, okay, I can remember like, okay, this is the challenge you heard and embrace it, you know. You have lived in so many different countries as we've spoken about. Why did you want to come to England? And has it always been on your radar and wish list to come and play here?

Yeah. This, playing in the Premier League for me has always been like an objective. And, yeah, playing in the best league in the world. to prove that to myself, that was the motivation I always had. You'd know it best than most. We all say over here, I think, it's the best league in the world. And a lot of people do say it. But as someone that's played in lots of different leagues, is it the best?

Yeah. With no disrespect to other leagues, but here you have everything. Technical players, physical players, tactical coaches, that every game change things. and you can see that and by far what I've seen until now is every team have four or five players that have really good qualities

and that I've seen that and I think that's the difference maybe with all the countries with any opposition players that you've played when you came to England and you were like the one that surprised me was I guess Everton was I knew because of the youth teams

he played in Manchester United Garland Garland James Garner James Garner yeah It's from Liverpool as well, wasn't he? No. No, he's from the widow. Oh, okay. He's just outside the Liverpool.

I knew from the... He's older than me, but I knew, but now when I played against him, I felt like, okay, technical with the ball, he's... I think he's really, really good. Yeah, I tried to sign him. When I was coached, Derby County, when he signed for the rival team, not from Forrest. I started to get one long.

But he's been playing right back as well. Yeah. They're all moving inside, right? Yeah, but he's a good player. Wayne also used to think he was the best player in every position. That's good. Yeah, do you feel the same? Would you be any other position on the pitch or are you just happy where you are?

I think that's the mentality you are, so you want to be the best always in the position you want to. Yeah, you have to. Yeah. You have to believe that you're the best player. And what I liked before was about, you know, you know, This is probably your biggest challenge at the minute. You're going to have so many of them challenges. And you've got to, if you have that consistency of doing what you know you're doing right

and how you're doing it, you'll always be and come back. That's really important. Having the consistency, how you train, how you prepare for games, everything. Because sometimes, and I've done it in the past where you maybe change something, what you're doing in your preparation for the game and but actually the best thing is just stay consistent with your preparation and what you're doing and then what to say

the cream always rises. I just quickly wanted to ask you about Spurs at the moment. Why was Spurs the right club for you? Because you obviously played at some of the biggest clubs in the world. You said you wanted to come to the Premier League. I'm just intrigued about the project here at Spurs

obviously a new manager as well. Yeah, at the end, the decision that I took with my family together was Spurs. Obviously, the project that is coming up, I think, is quite exciting with a lot of good young players that we have on the squad. That's what got me the most excited of. I want to entitle us this years. I want to compete for everything.

And I think that, yeah, this is the right decision for me at this time. And a very important question on end on your hair. One comment on Instagram, my Instagram, rolling his eyes at me. I think it got over 46,000 comments or something when you changed your hair during the international break. Yeah. Apparently, yeah. Yeah. It's caused shockwaves on social media.

Yeah, because this is the original. I was going to say it's the original. Was there any thinking behind it or just fancy to change? No, it's because my mom, she called me, she said, Chavi, okay, now it's time to go back to the original hair club. And she loves girls, you know. But this last year, I was doing braids and I was doing other things, you know. And I felt like, okay, yeah, maybe now I just keep it like this simple and we will see what happened.

It's simple. It'd be nice to have time off you. That's why you started rolling your eyes out of me. Two million followers and still listens to what he's, well, he's way more than two million followers now. And you still listen to what your mom says. I love that. Yeah, she's the one for me. She's the boss.

Yeah, she's the boss. She's still the boss. So we have to listen to her. Javi, thank you so much for coming on. as Wayne said. It's been brilliant, hasn't it? Yeah, it's amazing. Thank you. But the best of luck for the rest of the season and beyond.

Looking forward to seeing what you get up to at Spurs. A reminds of the Wayne Rooney show is available on Mondays and Fridays. You can listen to us on BBC Sounds or watch us on the BBC IPlayer or YouTube. My name's Steve Bradnell, a sister manager of Royal Oak FC. You may have seen me online with viral.

Vinyl sensation. And now the BBC have given me the chance to set the footballing world banter eyes. This could be a great opportunity for us, lads, a podcast for the BBC. Can I just say, what's the podcast? Brilliant. Great start. Well done, Bob. Brilliant.

We can completely show utter transparency to Royal Oak fans. I'll use my charm. Gift it, gab. Games gone. The Steve Bracknell podcast. Watch on YouTube. Listen on BBC Sounds.