Former Barcelona player and coach Xavi has been named the new head coach of Netherlands with a four-year contract.
The 46-year-old, who played for Barcelona and Spain, would be the first coach other than Dutch nationals to coach the national team since Austria’s Ernst Happel vacated his post in 1978, per BBC Sport.
Koeman quit his job as the Netherlands coach after the nation’s World Cup elimination from the round of 32 against Morocco.
“I consider it a tremendous honour to become head coach of the Dutch national team,” Xavi said.
“As someone who received his training at Barca’s 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 partly a son of Dutch football. Other great coaches, especially Louis van Gaal, under whom I made my debut at Barca, and Frank Rijkaard, also played an important role in shaping me as a player and coach.”
Former Liverpool and Feyenoord coach Arne Slot was contacted but expressed his preference for club football
Xavi, who has three international titles, is a member of the Spanish team that defeated the Netherlands in the World Cup final of 2010.
Xavi retired from football in 2019, and he took up coaching with the Al Sadd team before taking charge of Barca in November 2021 and winning a La Liga title in his first season.
This will mark Xavi’s first coaching job since leaving Barcelona in 2024.
