After the Moroccan setback: Xavi ignites a revolution in the Netherlands

Xavi Hernandez has begun his new mission with the Netherlands, quickly leaving his mark on the coaching staff just weeks after the World Cup setback against Morocco that cost Ronald Koeman his job and opened the door to a new era under the former Barcelona coach.

Koeman left his post following the Netherlands' exit from the 2026 World Cup, beaten by Morocco on penalties in the round of 32. Xavi steps in as his successor, tasked with a project that runs all the way to the 2030 World Cup.

Two years away from the dugout ended when Xavi arrived at the headquarters of the Dutch Football Association to prepare for his first tests. He opens his journey against Germany on 24 September, before facing Serbia and Greece during the same international break.

He has begun forming his coaching staff according to his own vision, according to Spanish newspaper AS, drawing on a number of trusted names alongside figures with vast experience in Dutch football.

Sergio Alegre and Oscar Hernandez, two of his most prominent former assistants, work alongside him. Ivan Torres continues as fitness coach, having previously worked with Xavi at Barcelona, Qatar and Leeds United.

Local expertise mattered to the Spaniard too. He retained Ruud van Nistelrooy within the coaching staff, promoted Adel Ramzy from the under-19s to the senior side and brought in Patrick Lodewijks as goalkeeping coach.

The blend reveals Xavi's desire to combine his own ideas with Dutch experience, in line with a philosophy that stresses the importance of people who possess "different qualities, experiences and points of view" that complement one another.

A new era after the Morocco shock

Xavi's project arrives at a sensitive time for the Netherlands, a side still trying to shake off the disappointment of an early World Cup exit.

The defeat against Morocco was more than the end of a World Cup journey. It was the turning point that cost Koeman his job and pushed the Dutch Football Association to seek a fresh start, before settling on Xavi to lead the team.

His philosophy carries a clear Dutch influence, and that may help him settle quickly into his new environment. Xavi has already spoken about his personal connection to Dutch football and the influence of names such as Johan Cruyff, Rinus Michels, Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard.

The dressing room welcomed his appointment. Among the most prominent to do so was Xavi Simons, who sent a message to his new coach, a sign of the enthusiasm surrounding the start of a new era.

Yet the welcome will not be enough. A difficult test awaits from his very first match against Germany, followed by Serbia and Greece, at the start of a journey that will reveal early on whether the Spaniard can steer the Netherlands back onto the right path.

So Xavi begins his revolution from the ruins of the Morocco setback, trying to reshape the team and the staff around it and open a new chapter after the Koeman era. He will hope the shock of the early exit becomes the launchpad for a different Dutch project.