Former Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernández has taken charge of the Netherlands after agreeing a contract that runs through the 2030 World Cup, Trybal News reports.
The 46 year old Spaniard replaces Ronald Koeman, who left his position after the Netherlands suffered a last 32 defeat to Morocco at this summer’s World Cup.
Xavi described the appointment as a major honour and highlighted his strong connection with Dutch football.
“I consider it a tremendous honour to become head coach of the Dutch national team,” he said in a statement released by the Dutch Football Association (KNVB).
“As someone who received his training at the FC Barcelona academy, with strong influences from Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, among others, I feel a special connection to Dutch football. You could say that I am a bit of a son of Dutch football.”
The appointment gives Xavi his first management role since he left Barcelona in 2024. He took charge of the Catalan giants in November 2021, succeeding Koeman after making 767 appearances for the club as a player.
The appointment gives Xavi his first management role since he left Barcelona in 2024. He took charge of the Catalan giants in November 2021, succeeding Koeman after making 767 appearances for the club as a player.
Xavi now faces the task of shaping the Netherlands around an attacking style that reflects his footballing philosophy. He wants his new team to control games through possession while playing with creativity, energy and confidence.
“The Netherlands has a rich football culture and a clear vision that also appeals to me enormously: attacking football, based on possession, with creativity, passion, and conviction,” he said.
“Of course, the most important goal is and always will be to win, but I prefer to do so in a way that reflects those characteristics and that people can enjoy. The potential for this is there, as well as a solid foundation to build upon.”
Xavi brings considerable experience from both his playing and coaching careers. As a player, he won the 2010 World Cup with Spain and helped them claim back to back European Championship titles in 2008 and 2012.
He moved into management with Al Sadd in Qatar in 2019. During his time there, he enjoyed major success and collected seven trophies before returning to Barcelona.
At Camp Nou, Xavi inherited a team going through a difficult period. However, he helped restore stability and guided Barcelona to the LaLiga title in the 2022 23 season.
He also won the Spanish Supercopa in 2023, giving the club two major trophies during his tenure.
However, Barcelona could not sustain that progress. After a trophyless 2023 24 campaign, the club replaced Xavi with Hansi Flick.
Now, the former Barcelona midfielder begins a new chapter with the Netherlands. His long term contract gives him the chance to build towards the 2030 World Cup while also developing a team capable of competing for major honours along the way.
