Amsterdam: Spain great Xavi Hernandez was appointed Netherlands coach on Wednesday, becoming the first foreign-born manager to lead the national team in nearly 50 years.
Xavi, 46, was part of the Spain side that defeated the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final, handing the Dutch their third defeat in a World Cup title match.
He succeeds Ronald Koeman, who left the post following the World Cup. Xavi has been out of work since leaving Barcelona in May 2024 and has signed a contract with the Netherlands through to the 2030 World Cup.
The former midfielder said he had a “special connection to Dutch football”, citing the influence of Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels on the Barcelona academy where he developed as a player.
“You could say that I am a bit of a son of Dutch football,” Xavi said. “Other great coaches, especially Louis van Gaal, under whom I made my debut at Barcelona, and Frank Rijkaard, also played an important role in shaping me as a player and coach.”
Ernst Happel, who managed the Netherlands from 1977 to 1978, was the last foreign-born coach of the national team.
Xavi said the Dutch footballing philosophy of “attacking football, based on possession, with creativity, passion, and conviction” strongly appealed to him.
“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,” he said.
Nigel de Jong, director of elite football at the Dutch football federation and an opponent of Xavi in the 2010 World Cup final, backed his appointment.
De Jong said Xavi's vision of “dominant and attractive football” combined with the flexibility required in modern elite football would suit the national team.
Xavi spent 17 years with Barcelona as a player before finishing his career at Al Sadd in Qatar. He later coached the Qatari club from 2019 to 2021 before taking charge of Barcelona.
The Netherlands exited the World Cup in the Round of 32 after losing to Morocco in a penalty shootout.