Xavi Hernández appointed head coach of the Netherlands on four-year contract
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Xavi Hernández has been appointed head coach of the Netherlands on a four-year deal through to the 2030 World Cup. The former Barcelona manager replaces Ronald Koeman, who resigned after the Dutch team’s last-32 World Cup defeat by Morocco, marking Xavi’s return to management after leaving Barcelona in 2024.
The 46-year-old won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, and led Barcelona to the 2023 La Liga title after beginning his coaching career at Al Sadd. Xavi said his influences from Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels give him a strong affinity with Dutch football, and he aims to build an attacking, possession-based side; Arne Slot had also been approached but chose to stay in club football.
- Xavi will coach the Netherlands until the 2030 World Cup
- He replaces Ronald Koeman after the World Cup exit
- He promises attacking, possession-based football
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The Netherlands national team represents the country in major international football tournaments, including the World Cup and European Championship. It has a long tradition of attacking, technical football but has not won the World Cup, despite reaching three finals.
Xavi Hernández is a former Spain and Barcelona midfielder who became known for a possession-based style of play. As a coach, he worked in Qatar before managing Barcelona, where he won the Spanish league title in 2023.
Dutch football has been strongly shaped by Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, whose ideas emphasised movement, pressing and keeping the ball. Those principles influenced Barcelona as well, creating a long-standing link between the Dutch and Spanish approaches to the game.
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