The Albany Gazette - Xavi named first foreign Netherlands coach since 1978

The Barcelona great, who won the 2010 World Cup with Spain as a player, has not held a head coaching job since leaving the Camp Nou in 2024.

Xavi has signed a four-year deal, which means he will lead the Oranje's Euro 2028 and 2030 World Cup campaigns.

"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," said the 46-year-old former midfielder.

"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."

Koeman stepped down after his second spell in charge of the Dutch ended with a last-32 defeat on penalties against Morocco.

Ex-Liverpool manager Arne Slot reportedly held initial talks with the Dutch association, but preferred to stay in club football.

Xavi's first match at the helm will be a Nations League clash with rivals Germany at the Johann Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on September 24.

He is the Netherlands' first foreign boss since Austrian Ernst Happel, whose side reached the 1978 World Cup final before losing to Argentina.

"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," Xavi added.

"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."

- Illustrious playing career -

Xavi, whose first coaching role was with Qatari club Al-Sadd, won the 2023 La Liga title with Barca but was sacked at the end of the following season and replaced by Hansi Flick.

He won four Champions Leagues with the Catalan giants during an illustrious playing career, and sits second on their all-time list of most appearances, behind only Lionel Messi.

"As a player alone, Xavi has experienced and won everything, with a World Cup, multiple national titles, and Champions League titles to his name," the Netherlands' football director Nigel de Jong, who famously kicked Xavi's then-teammate Xabi Alonso in the chest during the 2010 World Cup final, said.

"As a coach, he has been shaped by years of working with top coaches who espouse a football vision that aligns very well with the way we want to play with the Dutch national team -- taking initiative, dominant and attractive football, combined with the flexibility that modern elite football demands."

The Netherlands are still attempting to shed their nearly men tag in international football.

They have lost three World Cup finals, the most of any nation in history to have never lifted the trophy.

A Euro 1988 triumph remains the Netherlands' only major title, losing four Euros semi-finals, including two years ago to England, since.

Xavi played a major role as a player in turning Spain from perennial underachievers into a dominant side which romped to three consecutive major international titles, also including Euro 2008 and Euro 2012.

Now, he gets a chance to repeat the feat from the touchline.

(T.Brown--TAG)