Spain legend Xavi Hernandez has been hired as the head coach of the Netherlands national team, becoming its first foreign-born manager in nearly 50 years.
Spain great Xavi Hernandez was named the coach of the Netherlands national football team on Wednesday (August 12, 2026), becoming the first foreign-born manager to lead the squad in nearly 50 years. The last foreign-born manager to coach the Dutch was Ernst Happel from 1977 to 1978.
The 46-year-old Xavi, who has been without a coaching role since departing Barcelona in May 2024, replaces Ronald Koeman following the team's exit from the World Cup. The Netherlands was eliminated in the Round of 32 after losing to Morocco in a penalty shootout.
Xavi has signed a contract that runs through to the 2030 World Cup. A member of the Spain team that defeated the Dutch in the 2010 World Cup final, Xavi highlighted his long-standing connection to the nation's football ideology, which was influenced by Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels.
“You could say that I am a bit of a son of Dutch football,” Xavi said. “Other great coaches, especially Louis van Gaal, under whom I made my debut at Barcelona, and Frank Rijkaard, also played an important role in shaping me as a player and coach.”
Describing his preference for “attacking football, based on possession, with creativity, passion, and conviction,” Xavi stated that while winning remains the primary objective, he prefers to do so in an enjoyable manner that reflects those principles.
Nigel de Jong, director of elite football at the Dutch federation and a former opponent of Xavi in the 2010 World Cup final, praised the appointment. De Jong noted that Xavi's vision of “dominant and attractive football, combined with the flexibility that modern elite football demands” along with his ability to connect with players makes him “the right choice for the coming years.”
Prior to his coaching career, Xavi played 17 years at Barcelona before finishing his playing career at Al Sadd, where he later served as head coach from 2019 to 2021.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.