ZEIST: New Netherlands coach Xavi Hernandez vowed on Tuesday to bring back the attacking footballing philosophy that the Oranje are famous for, believing that this will bring the team out of the doldrums in terms of results.

“If we play good football… taking the initiative, dominating the game, playing in an offensive way… we will be closer to winning and to getting results,” the 46-year-old former midfielder told reporters at his first news conference since being appointed.

The Netherlands were disappointing at the most recent World Cup, topping their group without really convincing and then crashing out to Morocco on penalties in the last-32.

“I remember when I was a kid watching the Netherlands, you could watch good football. And this is my target — to play good football in order to be proud,” said Xavi.

Asked which was more important, attractive football or results, Xavi replied: “Both. We are here to compete, we are here to enjoy and we are here to win. I insist, we are here to win.”

In replacing Ronald Koeman on a four-year deal, Xavi becomes the first foreign boss of the Oranje in 48 years.

The Barcelona great, who won the 2010 World Cup with Spain as a player, had not held a head coaching job since leaving the Camp Nou in 2024.

Xavi, whose first coaching role was with Qatari club Al-Sadd, won the 2023 La Liga title with Barca but was sacked at the end of the following season and replaced by Hansi Flick.

Dutch Director of Football Nigel de Jong revealed that they had approached former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and ex-Liverpool manager Arne Slot before settling on Xavi.

“Well, it’s not a bad position after Guardiola and after Slot, no?” joked Xavi. “I don’t care if I’m the third or I’m the 10th one.”

Xavi’s first match at the helm will be a home Nations League clash with Germany on Sept 24.

Facing him on the sidelines will be another national management rookie, Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp.

“I feel excited, I feel motivated because we are playing against Germany, one of the best teams in Europe and one of the best coaches in recent years, Jurgen Klopp,” he said. “So yeah, it’s a big challenge from the beginning, but I think we will be ready.”

Xavi said that his main goal was to make the country proud of the Oranje again.

“We will work with passion, with ambition and with desire, in order that people in Holland, the 18 million people, are proud of our team.”

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2026