Xavi Hernandez has been appointed head coach of the Netherlands on a contract that runs through the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the Dutch football federation announced on Wednesday.
The 46-year-old Spaniard succeeds Ronald Koeman and will take charge of a national team for the first time in his managerial career.
Xavi has been out of coaching since leaving Barcelona in 2024 after three seasons at the helm. His appointment marks a return to management and a new chapter in his coaching career.
Koeman began his second spell as Netherlands coach in 2023, having previously managed the national side between 2018 and 2020.
Under Koeman, the Dutch reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024 and the round of 32 at this year’s World Cup, where they were eliminated by Morocco on penalties. He subsequently stepped down following the tournament.
Xavi becomes the Netherlands’ first foreign head coach since Austria’s Ernst Happel led the team at the 1978 World Cup.
His first assignment will be a Nations League encounter against Germany on September 24.
