Barcelona Legend Xavi Hernandez Accepts Surprise National Team Position
Xavi is the new manager of the Netherlands national team, on contract through the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Out of work since his tenure at Barcelona ended in 2024, the 46-year-old midfielder-turned-manager takes over for Ronald Koeman, who stepped down following the Netherlands’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup in the round of 32 this summer. Ironically, Xavi also replaced Koeman when he was hired by Barcelona in Nov. 2021.
Xavi will be seeking a fresh start after openly admitting that not maintaining “high-standards” during his final season managing Barça is what ultimately resulted in his dismissal.
The former Barcelona legend had brought his old club to grand heights in his first term on the touchline in 2022–23, winning the Spanish Super Cup and La Liga; however, everything fell apart the following season, leaving Xavi on the job hunt ever since.
The Netherlands is in a similar state of mind, perhaps making Xavi the perfect fit at the helm. Ranked top-10 globally and pegged as one of the most dangerous dark horses, the Netherlands was expected to make a deep run this summer at the World Cup; however, Koeman’s men did anything but, crashing out in their first knockout stage test and continuing their long-standing fate of “just not quite good enough.”
Like Xavi, the Oranje need a reinvigorated approach. The manager also appreciates the Dutch history of the game.
“I consider it a tremendous honour to become head coach of the Dutch national team,” Xavi said in a statement. “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.”
