TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has been appointed head coach of the Netherlands on a four-year contract that will run through the 2030 World Cup, marking his return to management after leaving the Spanish club in 2024.
As reported by The Canberra Times, the 46-year-old Spaniard replaces Ronald Koeman, who stepped down after the Netherlands were eliminated by Morocco in a penalty shootout in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup.
Xavi becomes the Netherlands' first foreign-born head coach since Austrian Ernst Happel led the team in 1977-78.
“I consider it a tremendous honour to become head coach of the Dutch national team,” Xavi said in a statement released by the Dutch Football Association, KNVB.
His appointment carries an unusual connection to Dutch soccer. Xavi developed at Barcelona's academy under the influence of Dutch football philosophy, particularly that of Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels.
“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,” Xavi said. “You could say that I am a bit of a son of Dutch football.”
He also credited former Barcelona coaches Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard with influencing his development as a player and coach.
Xavi's Return to Management
Xavi has been out of management since leaving Barcelona in May 2024. He took charge of the Catalan club in November 2021 after beginning his coaching career with Qatar's Al Sadd.
As Barcelona coach, he guided the club to the La Liga title in 2023. Before entering management, Xavi spent most of his playing career at Barcelona, making 767 appearances for the club before finishing his career at Al Sadd.
He was also a key member of Spain's golden generation, winning the 2008 and 2012 European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.
That World Cup triumph came at the Netherlands' expense, with Spain beating the Dutch 1-0 after extra time in the final in Johannesburg.
Xavi's appointment therefore brings a former opponent of the Netherlands into a role that requires him to revive the team's fortunes after another disappointing World Cup campaign.
Xavi's Vision for Dutch Football
Xavi said the Netherlands' footballing identity was a major attraction for him, particularly its emphasis on possession and attacking play, according to The Guardian.
“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.”
Nigel de Jong, the Dutch federation's director of elite football, said Xavi's approach of combining dominant, attractive football with tactical flexibility suited the demands of modern international soccer.
Xavi's contract gives him a long-term opportunity to reshape the Netherlands ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
Slot Declined Netherlands Job
Xavi was appointed after former Liverpool manager Arne Slot declined to continue talks over the position.
Slot said he preferred to remain in club football because of the opportunity to work with players every day, something that is not possible to the same extent with a national team.
“I have enormous respect for the national team and for the KNVB and can only be positive about the professional manner in which the talks proceeded,” Slot said.
“For now, I believe club football still has a lot to offer me.”
Xavi Hernandez now takes over a Netherlands side looking to recover from its early exit at the 2026 World Cup and build toward the 2030 tournament under a coach whose footballing education was deeply shaped by the Dutch tradition.
