Players of Moroccan origin already weigh on Xavi’s choices in the Netherlands

Appointed on Wednesday to lead the Dutch national team through the 2030 World Cup, Xavi said he wanted to incorporate a strong “Dutch contribution” into his staff. Knowledge of the players and of the local football culture will be decisive, he explained in the KNVB’s official announcement.

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Two names are being mentioned in particular to support him: Ruud van Nistelrooij and Patrick Kluivert. For Mike Verweij, a journalist with De Telegraaf, the latter would be a much more logical choice. Among the arguments he puts forward is precisely the highly diverse profile of the Dutch squad, in which he mentions the presence of players of Moroccan origin. De Telegraaf

Patrick Kluivert rather than Van Nistelrooij

Verweij believes that this reality must also be taken into account when putting together the bench. “Quality must come first,” he specifies, but he considers it important that the staff should also more closely reflect the group Xavi will be responsible for.

Patrick Kluivert also has a direct advantage: he already knows Xavi from having played with him at FC Barcelona. He also has experience as a national team coach and has already worked as an assistant with the Netherlands team. Verweij therefore considers his profile more coherent than Van Nistelrooij’s.

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Nothing has been decided yet. The KNVB states that the technical staff will be assembled in the coming weeks. But even before Xavi’s first choices on the field, the players of Moroccan origin among the Oranje are already indirectly at the heart of an important decision: that of the men who will surround the new national team coach.