Xavi Hernandez completes Netherlands coaching staff with Van Nistelrooij and Ramzi

New backroom staff confirmed

The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) and new Netherlands national team manager Xavi Hernandez have finalized the full coaching staff for the national squad. Xavi, who was appointed as the successor to Ronald Koeman, has assembled a technical team that combines his long-time Spanish colleagues with experienced Dutch trainers. The group includes assistant coaches Ruud van Nistelrooij and Adil Ramzi, goalkeeping coach Patrick Lodewijks, Spanish assistants Sergio Alegre and Oscar Hernandez, and performance coach Ivan Torres. The federation scheduled the formal presentation of Xavi at the KNVB headquarters in Zeist for Tuesday.

Dutch coaching contingent and international experience

The Dutch members of the staff provide extensive experience within domestic football and the national team system. Van Nistelrooij, a 50-year-old native of Heesch, served as an assistant to Koeman from February 2026 through the World Cup. He previously held assistant coaching roles with Oranje between 2014 and 2016 as well as during the European Championship in 2021. As a player, the former forward earned 70 caps and scored 35 goals for the Netherlands. Lodewijks, who is from Eindhoven, continues in his role as goalkeeping coach after serving under Koeman starting in 2023, following previous tenures from 2014 to 2015 and from 2018 to 2021.

Ramzi, 49, joins the senior national technical staff for the first time after coaching the Netherlands under-18 and under-19 teams since 2024. The former Morocco international played in the Eredivisie for PSV, AZ, and FC Twente before working as head coach of Jong PSV and as a first-team assistant at PSV. Both Ramzi and Van Nistelrooij speak fluent Spanish, providing direct communication links between the Dutch squad and the incoming Spanish technical staff.

Spanish coaching group and tactical roles

Xavi integrated three Spanish specialists with whom he worked during his previous managerial roles at Qatari club Al-Sadd and FC Barcelona. The group features his brother Oscar Hernandez, assistant coach Sergio Alegre, and performance coach Ivan Torres. In an official federation statement, Xavi emphasized the value of combining familiar collaborators with local knowledge.

I have worked with Sergio, Óscar and Iván for a long time and they know my way of working well. At the same time, I attach great value to Dutch input, which we have with Patrick, Ruud and Adil.

Everyone has their own role and expertise. Whether it is attacking, defending, set pieces or other parts of football: in all areas we want to support the players as well as possible.

Federation strategy and schedule demands

KNVB Director of Top Football Nigel de Jong noted that the technical appointments were structured to handle the evolving schedule of international competition. De Jong explained that longer and more demanding international windows require divided responsibilities to maintain consistent individual player guidance both during and between matches.

From the first talks, we looked together at what is needed to optimally support Xavi and the players.

De Jong stated that Ramzi offers direct knowledge of rising talent through his work with the youth teams, while Van Nistelrooij and Lodewijks provide familiarity with Dutch senior football. According to De Jong, pairing established domestic expertise with Xavi's trusted Spanish staff creates a balanced unit where diverse backgrounds reinforce one another.