The Netherlands have confirmed the eye-catching appointment of former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez as their new head coach.
The KNVB have been searching for a permanent successor to Ronald Koeman since the Dutchman stepped down from his role following the nation's elimination from this summer's World Cup in the Last 32 stage against Morocco.
Roberto Martinez and Arne Slot had been linked to the vacancy, with the latter holding talks before deciding to withdraw from the running, but the Royal Dutch Football Association have officially unveiled Xavi, who becomes the Netherlands’ first foreign manager since Ernst Happel in 1978.
The official Netherlands X page posted: "Xavi Hernández has been appointed as the new head coach of the Netherlands men’s national team. The 46-year-old Spanish coach takes over from Ronald Koeman. Xavi has reached an agreement with the KNVB on a contract through to the 2030 FIFA World Cup."
Xavi's hiring marks the second time he's replaced Koeman as head coach, having succeeded the former Southampton and Everton boss at Barcelona in 2021.
The 46-year-old commenced his managerial career with Al Sadd after concluding his playing career with the Qatari outfit and the decorated midfielder won seven trophies in two years in the Middle East.
Spending a glittering 17-years with the Blaugrana as a player, Xavi added to his list of honours as manager of the Catalonia outfit by winning the 2022/23 La Liga title and 2023 Supercopa de España.
However, his tenure soured in the latter stages of the 2023/24 campaign. Xavi initially revealed his intentions to step down as Barcelona head coach, but after a change of heart, he was ultimately dismissed by president Joan Laporta at the end of the season and replaced by Hansi Flick.
Xavi's stayed out of the spotlight since then, with the Netherlands job marking his first official role since his Barcelona departure.
Speaking to the Netherlands national team website, Xavi said: “I consider it a tremendous honour to become head coach of the Dutch national team. As someone who received his training at the Barcelona 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 a bit of a son of Dutch football. 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.
“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.
“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. The potential for this is there, as well as a solid foundation to build upon. I look forward to starting this challenge together with the players, the staff, and everyone within the KNVB.”
Xavi's first assignment will be a mouth-watering UEFA Nations League clash against Germany on 24th September.
The Netherlands are sixth favourites to win UEFA Euro 2028, which is to be staged in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The Oranje progressed to the semi-finals in 2024, where they were beaten by England in Dortmund.
Netherlands' Euro 2028 odds
(Odds will display when markets are available).
