Every man for himself topic. Those of us who have been captivated by Barça's fantastic play in recent seasons are quite clear: when he retires, Xavi Hernández should be awarded a golden ball for his entire sporting career. Nobody has won so many titles in fifteen years: world champion of national teams, twice European champion of nations, three championships, two World Club Championships, two Eurocups, seven Spanish leagues, two King's Cups, and so on. The honorary golden ball would be the recognition of a whole degree program, as is the honorary Oscar of the Hollywood Academy.

A long and successful career involves overcoming serious injuries, training in hot or cold weather, taking care of the daily diet, getting enough sleep, rehearsing a play a hundred times, gymnastic exercises, building optimism when something goes wrong, and much more. It is, therefore, much more than the explosion of a day of glory. It is, as Xènius (Eugenio d'Ors) would say, the pedagogy of a job well done and well finished, which is transformed into something important and lasting. And this is not a finding of reformed Calvinism or pietistic Lutheranism: it is at the very heart of the New Law.

The early Christians gloried in working well, far from all indolence, as if they had nothing to do. St. Paul's recommendations are unequivocal: "We exhort you to make more progress and to strive to lead a quiet, industrious life in your business, and to work with your hands as we have recommended, so that you may live honestly in the sight of strangers and not suffer want."

I do not know Xavi's religious convictions and, moreover, I do not dare to ask him about them, because perhaps the Constitution, now so often quoted and perhaps so little read, does not allow me to do so. In any case, his disposition would fit in well with the basic features of the Christian spirit, since we believers are called from the beginning to go ahead in the construction of the world, which also influences in some way the advent of the Kingdom of God. I don't know why, thinking about these things, a point from The Way, an important spiritual book of our time, came to my mind: "I like your apostle's motto: 'Work tirelessly'".