Extraordinary measures for an international recall
Kluivert is back in the Netherlands squad with a renewed sense of purpose, but his return was far from guaranteed. The Bournemouth playmaker revealed that Xavi left no stone unturned when assessing whether to bring the 27-year-old back into the national team setup. Rather than simply relying on match footage, the Spanish coach performed a comprehensive character study on the former Ajax prodigy.
"He also wants to know who he is dealing with, so he spoke with former coaches of mine," Kluivert explained in an interview with NOS. "Fortunately, they were charmed by me, so that worked out well. Hopefully Xavi will be too after a while. I also heard that he watches a lot of matches. He is really involved with it, that is his drive and I think we need that."
Under the previous regime of Ronald Koeman, a midfield featuring ball-players like Frenkie de Jong and Joey Veerman alongside Kluivert seemed unlikely. However, Xavi appears willing to sacrifice physical presence for technical proficiency. "I don't always have to have the ball, but I also make a lot of deep runs," Kluivert noted. "With my intensity I hope to provide sharpness in a team and I'm also partial to an assist or a goal."
Moving past World Cup heartbreak
The return to the national team training ground is bittersweet for Kluivert, who is still haunted by the conclusion of his last major tournament. After fighting back from injury to make the squad, his dream of World Cup glory ended in a devastating penalty shootout defeat against Morocco. Coming on specifically to take a spot-kick, Kluivert struck the woodwork with an effort that continues to weigh on his mind.
"That has certainly gnawed at me," the attacker admitted when reflecting on the miss. "Actually, everything went well. What I had in mind beforehand, I also did. And then it just doesn't go in. Oh well, the risks of the trade, as we say."
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Evolution from winger to Premier League engine
Kluivert is no longer the raw teenager who debuted for his country in 2018. Having played in all of Europe’s "Big Five" leagues, he has transitioned from a flighty winger into a mature attacking midfielder at Bournemouth. While he is happy on the English south coast, where he is contracted until 2028, he remains ambitious about his personal statistics, having failed to score in his first 14 appearances for the Oranje.
"I have had chances. About three of them really could have gone in. If I score, I will celebrate. But not too much, because there should have been more already," he confessed regarding his international goal drought.
A more grounded perspective on the future
Despite his pedigree, the son of legendary striker Patrick Kluivert has developed a more realistic outlook on his career trajectory. Gone are the days of public declarations regarding moves to European giants. He is now focused on the immediate task at hand, which includes a crucial clash against Greece as the Netherlands look to build momentum under Xavi's leadership.
"Look, I have to be realistic too. I am no longer 21 or 22, the age category that Real Madrid looks at. I don't look far into the future anymore, because you don't know what's coming anyway. We play against Greece on Friday. Give everything and we'll see the rest," Kluivert said.