Zeist, Aug 13 (IANS) Xavi Hernandez has been appointed as the new head coach of the Netherlands men’s national football team.

Xavi became Netherlands' first foreign coach in almost 50 years. The 46-year-old Spaniard, who succeeds Ronald Koeman, has signed a contract through to the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

After becoming the Netherlands’ first overseas-born coach since Austrian Ernst Happel vacated the reins in the 1978, he will look forward to working with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven, Denzel Dumfries, Jurrien Timber, Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch.

“It is a great honour to become head coach of the Netherlands national team. As someone who was developed at the FC Barcelona academy, with strong influences from, among others, Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, I feel a special connection to Dutch football. You could say I am, in a way, a son of Dutch football. Other great coaches, especially Louis van Gaal, under whom I made my debut at Barcelona, and Frank Rijkaard, have also played an important role in shaping me as both a player and as a coach," Xavi said on his appointment.

The coaching staff will be further shaped in the coming weeks. Xavi added, “The intention is to put together a coaching staff that also includes Dutch input. Specific knowledge of the game, the players and the culture is of great value. By combining each other’s knowledge and experience, we will create the best possible conditions to get the maximum out of ourselves and the squad.”

Xavi, one of the greatest midfielders of all time, played a fundamental function in Spain conquering their first global title at South Africa 2010. ‘The Puppet Master’ completed 93 per cent of his passes as they edged the Netherlands in the Soccer City final.

Xavi, one of the greatest midfielders of all time, played a fundamental function in Spain conquering their first global title at South Africa 2010. ‘The Puppet Master’ completed 93 per cent of his passes as they edged the Netherlands in the Soccer City final.

After an impressive playing career in which he played for Barcelona for a total of seventeen seasons and achieved great success, Xavi began his coaching career in 2019 at Al-Sadd in Qatar, where he had previously also played. In what is still a young coaching career, he was immediately successful, winning several domestic trophies with the club.

In November 2021, Xavi returned to FC Barcelona as head coach. In the 2022/23 season, he led the club to victory in the Spanish Super Cup and to its first league title since the 2018/19 season.

--IANS

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