New Oranje coach Xavi calls Netherlands “university of football”

New national head coach Xavi Hernandez regards the Netherlands as the "university of football" during his first press conference in Zeist. The 46-year-old Dutch coach, appointed by the KNVB, expressed his honor at being chosen as the first foreign coach since Ernst Happel led the men's team to the 1978 World Cup final. Xavi was the KNVB's third choice after Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot, who opted to stay in club football.

Xavi's playing career was primarily spent at Barcelona, where he won eight La Liga titles, many of them under Guardiola's influence. He made his international debut for Spain against the Netherlands in 2000 and was a key member of the team that won the World Cup in 2010, defeating the Dutch in the final.

Xavi stated that his goal is to create a team, a group, and a big family to play well. He believes in the talents of the current generation and focuses on building a cohesive unit. Xavi's playing and coaching style is rooted in the "total football" philosophy, emphasizing ball dominance and team passion.

Nigel de Jong, the KNVB's technical director, highlighted that Xavi's football philosophy aligns with the Dutch team's desire to play attractive, dominant football. Xavi has not yet decided on the players he will select but has spoken to captain Virgil van Dijk and Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. Media speculations suggest that Van Dijk and leading scorer Memphis Depay might be dropped, but this has not been confirmed by Xavi.

De Jong, who worked with Xavi during his time as Barcelona coach from 2021 to 2024, has been dealing with injuries for over a year and was not fully fit during the 2022 World Cup. Xavi is set to lead the team in their first match under his leadership on September 24 against Germany in the Nations League in Amsterdam.