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Xavi Hernández named Netherlands head coach after Van Dijk talks

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 10:14 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Xavi Becomes Netherlands Coach

Xavi Hernández becomes Netherlands head coach, first foreign coach since 1978, debuting against Germany in Nations League.
Virgil van Dijk confirms he will stay captain and continue his international career after talks with Xavi.
Xavi says his squad must play with intensity, take initiative and show passion, using possession, position, pressing, perception.
Nigel de Jong says Xavi was hired to restore dominant, attractive football while improving defensive solidity.

Summary

FIFA Sets International Block

FIFA approved a combined September-October international break that creates a four-match block for national teams.
Clubs must release players during the block, addressing long-haul travel concerns.
Nations League will hold a Final Four mini-tournament June 9-13, hosted by a semifinalist.
Six low-ranked nations compete in League D while Russia remains banned from international competition.
Zidane will coach France, Klopp will coach Germany, Jesus will coach Portugal.

Summary

Klopp Announces Squad

Klopp introduced four strict rules: set dinner times, pre-match phone ban, no hotel haircuts, limited family visits.
He named a 44-player squad, divided into two groups for upcoming Nations League fixtures.
Sixteen of the squad are uncapped, with eleven receiving their first senior call-up.
Forward Younes Ebnoutalib said Klopp convinced him to choose Germany over Morocco.
Klopp called for “positive patriotism” amid the AfD’s recent electoral successes.

History

Historical Context

After Austrian Ernst Happel became the Netherlands’ first foreign coach in 1978 and guided the team to a World Cup runners-up finish, the Netherlands did not appoint another foreign manager until 2024, when Barcelona legend Xavi Hernández took the role, while FIFA’s new September-October window forces clubs to release players for internationals.

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Xavi Becomes Netherlands Coach

Xavi Hernández becomes Netherlands head coach, first foreign coach since 1978, debuting against Germany in Nations League.
Virgil van Dijk confirms he will stay captain and continue his international career after talks with Xavi.
Xavi says his squad must play with intensity, take initiative and show passion, using possession, position, pressing, perception.
Nigel de Jong says Xavi was hired to restore dominant, attractive football while improving defensive solidity.

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