Xavi Appointed Netherlands Coach, Becomes First Foreign Manager in 48 Years

The Netherlands were knocked out by Morocco in the Round of 32, ending Ronald Koeman’s tenure. The Dutch football federation has now turned to Xavi to bring a more attacking, possession-based approach to the team.

Xavi, 46, has signed a contract through the 2030 World Cup and will manage a national team for the first time. He has been out of coaching since leaving Barcelona in 2024 after three seasons in charge.

His first test will come against Germany in the Nations League on September 24.

The appointment makes Xavi the Netherlands’ first foreign head coach since Austria’s Ernst Happel guided the Dutch at the 1978 World Cup.

The decision marks a clear departure from the country’s traditional preference for Dutch coaches and reflects the federation’s desire to move away from Koeman’s more pragmatic approach.

Xavi is expected to introduce the possession-based football and positional play that defined much of his career as both a player and manager.

Xavi’s tactical philosophy was shaped by his time at Barcelona, where he became one of the defining midfielders of the club’s possession-oriented era.

After joining La Masia at 11, he went on to make 767 senior appearances for Barcelona and win 25 major trophies, including eight La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns.

He was equally influential for Spain, winning 133 caps and becoming a key figure in the national team’s golden generation.

Xavi helped Spain win Euro 2008, where he was named Player of the Tournament, and later played an important role in their 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 triumphs.

Xavi began his managerial career with Al-Sadd in 2019 after ending his playing career in Qatar. He quickly established a reputation for possession football, structured attacking play and aggressive pressing.

During his two seasons with the club, he won seven trophies, including the unbeaten 2020-21 league campaign.

Barcelona appointed him in 2021 as the club looked to rebuild during a difficult period. Xavi responded by guiding the Catalan giants to the 2022-23 La Liga title and Supercopa de Espana.

He also gave opportunities to several young players, including Pedri, Gavi and Lamine Yamal, as Barcelona developed a new generation of talent. Xavi left the club in 2024 and had remained without a managerial position since then.

Now, he faces a new challenge with the Netherlands, where he will be tasked with rebuilding the team and establishing a fresh identity ahead of the 2030 World Cup.