Xavi Hernández, new Netherlands coach

Spanish coach Xavi Hernández was named the Netherlands’ men’s coach this Wednesday, with a contract until the 2030 World Cup, after the resignation of Ronald Koeman.

“Xavi Hernández is the new coach of the Netherlands. The 46-year-old Spaniard succeeds Ronald Koeman. Xavi has reached an agreement with the KNVB for a contract that links him to the team until the 2030 World Cup,” announced the Netherlands Federation.

The Catalan coach returns to the bench since his two-and-a-half-year spell at FC Barcelona ended in June 2024. For Xavi, who previously coached Al-Sadd, it means directing a national team for the first time and his third experience on the bench.

His era in Barcelona, ​​where he also replaced Koeman’s time, ended abruptly, in a tug-of-war with Joan Laporta, later seeing the culé team flourish with Hansi Flick. “I consider it a great honor to become national coach of the Netherlands. As a youth player of FC Barcelona, ​​with the strong influence of Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, among others, I feel a special connection with Dutch football,” said Xavi in ​​the official statement of the Dutch federation.

“You could say that I am a bit of a child of Dutch football. Other great coaches, especially Louis van Gaal, with whom I debuted at Barcelona, ​​and Frank Rijkaard, also played an important role in my formation as a player and coach,” he added.

The one from Terrassa made clear his commitment to recognizable football. “The most important goal is and always will be to win, but I prefer to do it in a way that reflects those characteristics and that people can enjoy. The potential for that is there, as well as a solid foundation to build on,” he said.

The director of elite football, Nigel de Jong, and the director of professional football of the ‘Oranje’, Marianne van Leeuwen, celebrated the hiring of a Xavi who “fits perfectly with the way” of playing they are looking for: “initiative, dominance and attractive football, combined with the flexibility that the elite demands.”

Xavi thus returns to direct, after winning the 2023 League with Barça as his greatest achievement, in search of a career as he did with great success as a player, champion of 27 titles in the Blaugrana team. In addition, the former midfielder was part of the European champion Spanish team in 2008 and 2012 and the world champion in 2010.