The Netherlands announced a new men’s national team manager Wednesday, Aug. 12, signing Xavi on a contract that runs through 2030.

The move shocked the soccer world, with the legendary former FC Barcelona midfielder taking over a national team for the first time, having previously managed Al Sadd in Qatar, where he moved after his illustrious playing career, and coaching Barcelona.

It is the second time Xavi replaces Ronald Koeman. The Dutch manager coached FC Barcelona before Xavi returned to the club from 2021-24, winning the 2022-23 La Liga title and the Spanish Super Cup in 2023.

“I consider it a tremendous honor to become head coach of the Dutch national team. As someone who received his training at the FC Barcelona academy, with strong influences from Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, among others, I feel a special connection to Dutch football,” Xavi said in a news release. “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.”

Despite Barcelona replacing Xavi with Hansi Flick and going on to win La Liga, the 46-year-old had regularly been linked with jobs all over Europe and in the Americas.

When will Xavi make his debut as Netherlands manager?

Instead, he will take over a Netherlands team that disappointed in the 2026 World Cup, winning a difficult group that also included Japan but falling to Morroco on penalties in the round of 32.

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Prior to Xavi’s arrival, the Netherlands reportedly had been considering Xavi’s countryman Roberto Hernandez, who most recently managed Portugal, and Dutchman Arne Slot, who spoke to the federation about the role but opted to pursue opportunities in the club game rather than move into the international space.

“Every new cycle requires us to re-evaluate where we want to go, what we need to get there, and which available national coach fits best,” Nigel De Jong, the Dutch federation’s Director of Elite football said in the release. “As a player alone, Xavi has experienced and won everything, with a World Cup, multiple national titles, and Champions League titles to his name.

“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 national team game should still keep Xavi busy, with a September debut against Germany in the UEFA Nations League looming. While the Oranje will want to win a Nations League group that also includes Serbia and Greece, the priority will be a good showing at Euro 2028 followed by progress at the 2030 World Cup, most of which is scheduled to take place on European soil.