Xavi Hernández, the legendary former player of FC Barcelona, has been officially appointed as the head coach of the Netherlands national football team. The announcement was made on the morning of August 13, 2026, confirming his return to the coaching scene after leaving Barcelona following the 2023-2024 season.

The Netherlands Football Federation announced the news on their official social media channels, stating, "We are proud to present our new coach. Welcome, Xavi Hernández!" Xavi, who is 46 years old, will lead the national team under a four-year contract.

This position became available after Ronald Koeman stepped down following the Netherlands' defeat to Morocco in the 2026 World Cup. Although Roberto Martínez was considered a leading candidate for the role and was interviewed by the Dutch Football Federation, he was ultimately not selected, paving the way for Xavi's appointment.

Xavi's immediate challenge will be to guide the Netherlands through the UEFA Nations League, which begins this September, as he prepares the team for the Euro 2028 tournament.

As a player, Xavi is celebrated for his time at FC Barcelona, where he made 767 appearances and scored 85 goals between 1998 and 2015. He won over 20 titles with the club, including 8 La Liga championships and 4 UEFA Champions League titles. Additionally, he represented Spain in 133 matches, scoring 13 goals, and was part of the team that won the 2010 World Cup and the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012.

After retiring, Xavi began his coaching career at Al-Sadd in Qatar before taking over at Barcelona in 2021, where he won a La Liga title and a Supercopa de España. His appointment as the coach of the Netherlands marks a significant milestone, as he becomes the first foreign coach to lead the Dutch national team in 48 years, following Ernst Happel from Austria in the late 1970s.