Xavi Hernandez appointed Netherlands national team coach
Former Barcelona player and Spanish international Xavi Hernandez has been named the new coach of the Netherlands national team, succeeding Ronald Koeman, who resigned after the World Cup. The Dutch Football Association announced the appointment on Wednesday. The 46-year-old coach, who led FC Barcelona to the Spanish championship title in 2023, has signed a contract until the next World Cup in 2030, which will be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with three matches in Latin America. Koeman stepped down after the Netherlands was eliminated in the round of 16 by Morocco at the 2026 World Cup. Xavi expressed his honor in becoming the Netherlands coach, citing a special connection to Dutch football due to his training at FC Barcelona's academy, which was influenced by Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels. He also mentioned the significant roles played by Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard in his development as a player and coach. Xavi began his head coaching career in 2019 with Qatari club Al Sadd SC before taking over Barcelona in 2021. He won a La Liga title and a Spanish Supercup with Barcelona before his departure at the end of the 2024 season. His mission is to revitalize the Netherlands, a historical football power that has been a World Cup finalist three times but has not advanced past the quarterfinals since a third-place finish in Brazil in 2014. Nigel de Jong, the KNVB's director of top football, stated that Xavi's coaching philosophy aligns with the Dutch team's desired pl
