Xavi appointed Netherlands head coach after Ronald Koeman exit

By SABC Sport
12th August 2026

Xavi Hernandez has been appointed Netherlands head coach on a four-year contract, succeeding Ronald Koeman and taking charge of a national team for the first time.

The 46-year-old Spaniard returns to management after leaving Barcelona in 2024 and will lead the Netherlands through the 2028 European Championship and 2030 World Cup. He becomes the first foreign coach to take charge of the Dutch since Austria's Ernst Happel in 1978.

Koeman resigned after the Netherlands were eliminated by Morocco on penalties in the last 32 of the World Cup. Xavi's first match will be against Germany in the Nations League on September 24.

"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."

Xavi previously replaced Koeman at Barcelona in 2021, leading the club to the LaLiga title in 2022-23 and the Spanish Super Cup in 2023 before leaving after a trophyless 2023-24 season.

He began coaching at Al-Sadd in Qatar after retiring as a player in 2019, winning seven trophies before returning to Barcelona. As a player, he won the 2010 World Cup and European Championships in 2008 and 2012 with Spain.

Xavi had received approaches from clubs and national teams since leaving Barcelona but had increasingly expressed an interest in international management. Former Liverpool boss Arne Slot also held talks over the Netherlands job before withdrawing because he wanted to remain in club football.

Xavi said he wants to build a Netherlands side based on possession and attacking football.

"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."