Thanks to Xavi: two Roshn League stars make new history with the Netherlands

Saudi league makes a strong showing

Two stars of Saudi Arabia's Roshn League wrote new history with the Netherlands national team, after both featured in the starting line-up in the match against Germany in the 2027 UEFA Nations League.

The Netherlands faced Germany today, Thursday, in the first round of Group Two matches in the UEFA Nations League.

Xavi Hernandez, the new head coach of the Netherlands, began his era with a historic line-up. For the first time in history, two players from non-European leagues started for the Dutch, according to Opta.

Those players are Crysencio Summerville, the Al-Hilal winger, and Tijjani Reijnders, the Al-Qadisiyah midfielder. Both joined the Saudi league last summer, arriving from West Ham United and Manchester City respectively.

Ronald Koeman, the former Netherlands head coach, used to refuse to call up players active in the Saudi league. He declared as much explicitly during Steven Bergwijn's excellent form with Al-Ittihad.

Xavi scrapped that rule. He recently stressed in press statements the strength of the Saudi league and his lack of objection to including any player who plays in it, as long as that player is performing well.