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Spain and Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez has said he has a special connection with Dutch football, following his appointment as the Orange new head coach.
Xavi was appointed by the Netherlands football governing body, KNVB, as replacement for Ronald Koeman.
The 46-year-old reached an agreement with the KNVB on a contract through to the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking after he was unveiled, Xavi said on the KNVB website:“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.”
Also Read: Raphinha: Without Xavi I Won’t Be Playing For Barca
Netherlands Director of Elite Football and former Manchester City star Nigel de Jong said: “Every new cycle requires us to take a fresh look at where we want to go, what we need to get there and which available head coach is the best fit. Xavi has experienced and won everything as a player, including a World Cup, multiple league titles and Champions League titles.
“As a coach, he has been shaped by years of working with top coaches who share a footballing vision that aligns very well with the way we want the Netherlands national team to play: taking the initiative, playing dominant and attractive football, combined with the flexibility required in modern football at the highest level.
“Xavi believes in these core principles and has embraced them and made them his own. All of that, combined with his personality and the way he connects with players and brings the best out of a group, makes him the right choice for the coming years.”
