Newly-appointed Netherlands football team head coach Xavi Hernandez laid down his plans for the team during his official unveiling ceremony in Zeist on Tuesday.
“We want … to dominate the game, to take the initiative with the ball,” he said. “And at the same time, our goal is to show to everybody a team with passion, with desire and ambition.”
Netherlands Soccer Federation technical director Nigel de Jong said Xavi was on a shortlist of four candidates for the coveted job after former Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, and Arne Slot, who is still without a job after being fired by Liverpool in late May. They both declined. The other candidate was Michael Reiziger, who coaches the Netherlands’ youth team.
“Well, it’s not a bad position after Guardiola and after Slot. Third position. At least we are … on the podium. I don’t care,” he said.
Xavi’s first assignment will be on September 24 in Amsterdam when Netherlands will take on Germany, a team which also has a new coach in Jürgen Klopp. The former Liverpool manager replaced Julian Nagelsmann, who quit after another disappointing World Cup campaign.
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“I feel excited,” Xavi said, “I feel motivated because, you know, we are playing against Germany, one of the best, teams in Europe and one of the best coaches in the last years, Jürgen Klopp. So yeah, it’s a big challenge from the beginning, but I think we will be ready.”
The 46-year-old, who was previously the head coach of Barcelona until May 2024, took over from Ronald Koeman following Netherlands’s disappointing exit in the Round of 32 at the World Cup.
While the Netherlands has struggled to win on football’s biggest stages — Oranje has reached three World Cup finals and lost them all — Xavi has tasted success in the past.
“We will try to change some things. Good habits, new energy,” he said. “We will work with passion, with ambition and with desire in order that people in Holland, the 18 million people, be proud of our team.”
(With inputs from AP)
Published on Aug 25, 2026
