Former Barcelona midfielder and coach Xavi has been appointed as the new manager of the Netherlands team.
There were reports that Arne Slot had been in talks with the Dutch football association over the role, but he now appears to have turned it down.
Although there is some talk that negotiations collapsed because he and the football association could not agree on contract terms, Slot said discussions never reached that stage.
“There have been several reports in recent weeks and especially in the past few days about the vacancy at the Dutch national team, in which it was suggested that I had withdrawn from the process after lengthy negotiations, including over salary and the duration of the contract,” Slot said.
“That speculation is incorrect. We simply never got to that stage of the talks.”
Xavi Hernández, head coach Oranje. 🔶#NothingLikeOranje #Xavi2030 pic.twitter.com/q5gpajYoga
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) August 13, 2026
The former Liverpool boss said he turned it down because he still wants to be in club management. He was dismissed by Liverpool earlier this summer after they finished fifth in the Premier League, having led them to the title in his first season in charge.
“At this stage of my career, I prefer to see myself on the training field with my players every day,” Slot said. “Something that is simply not possible in the same way with a national team.”
“And [this is] why I chose not to continue the talks and not to start negotiations about what a possible contract could look like.”
However, he also left open the possibility of managing the Netherlands in future.
“I have a lot of respect for the national team and for the KNVB [Dutch football association] and can only be positive about the professional way in which the talks went that week,” Slot said. “For now, I believe that club football still has a lot to offer me.
“It would be a great honour to represent my country as national coach one day. This was just not the right time for me.”
The Netherlands therefore turned to Xavi as Ronald Koeman’s successor. The former Barcelona manager has signed a four-year contract that will take him through the European Championship in 2028 and the World Cup in 2030.
Is Xavi a good fit for the Netherlands?
Xavi has been out of management since leaving Barcelona in 2024. He previously spent four years at the club, winning La Liga in 2022-23 and the Spanish Supercopa in 2023.
The appointment gives the 46-year-old a return to international management after he had spoken in recent months about wanting to take charge of a national team. His playing career included the 2010 World Cup and European Championship victories in 2008 and 2012 with Spain.
He also cited Dutch football as an influence on his coaching philosophy, having developed at Barcelona under an academy system heavily shaped by Johan Cruyff.
“I consider it a tremendous honour to become head coach of the Dutch national team,” Xavi said.
“As someone who received his training at Barca’s academy, with strong influences from Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, among others, I feel a special connection to Dutch football.
“You could say that I am a partly a son of Dutch football.”
We proudly present our new head coach. 🇳🇱⁰⁰Welcome, Xavi Hernández! 🧡#NothingLikeOranje #Xavi2030 pic.twitter.com/9aOpc9J53S
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) August 12, 2026
He added: “The Netherlands has a rich football culture and a clear vision that also appeals to me enormously: attacking football, based on possession, with creativity, passion, and conviction.”
Xavi also worked under Louis van Gaal at Barcelona and later played under Frank Rijkaard, both of whom he identified as important influences.
The Netherlands job became available after Ronald Koeman left following their World Cup exit against Morocco in the round of 32. Xavi will now take charge of a team that is looking to recover from that disappointing campaign.
