The Fort Worth Press - 'Here to win': Xavi vows to restore pride in Dutch football

"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, beating the Netherlands in the final, 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, who was on the losing side during the 2010 World Cup final, 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 September 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.

- 'Passion, ambition, desire' -

The Netherlands are still attempting to shed their nearly men tag in international football.

They have lost three World Cup finals, the most of any nation in history to have never lifted the trophy.

A Euro 1988 triumph remains the Netherlands' only major title, and they have since lost four Euros semi-finals, including two years ago to England.

Xavi won four Champions Leagues with the Catalan giants during an illustrious playing career, and sits second on their all-time list of most appearances for Barca, behind only Lionel Messi.

"When he is not playing football, he is watching football, he will become a coach I'm sure," Guardiola said in 2011, after Xavi had more than met the challenge of filling his boots at the heart of Barca's midfield.

Nicknamed the "Maquina", the Machine, in Spain, Xavi was the midfield metronome who came to define a style of football which dominated the game for the best part of a decade.

If it were not for Messi, Xavi surely would have won the Ballon d'Or, an award he finished third in three times in a row, behind only Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Andres Iniesta.

Xavi said that his main goal as Dutch coach 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."

N.Patterson--TFWP