Finally, this day is upon us. Has there been a more anticipated, yet unpredictable, moment in modern Dutch soccer history? The Netherlands haven’t had a foreign manager since the Austrian Ernst Happel led his team to a second-consecutive World Cup Final in 1978. Usually, with previous coaching appointments, we had a general idea of what to expect. But with Xavi? No idea. Even after the standard press conferences, infamous De Telegraaf reporter Valentijn Driessen pointed out that Xavi said a lot without saying much at all. The things Xavi said were all the standard coaching yada yada: he wants passion, no egos, a family-like feeling in the squad, teamwork, respect, yada, yada, yada. But he said nothing about what we really can expect from watching them play, what the style will be, or anything of the like.
I have a mixed opinion. Can you blame him? One of the biggest games on the calendar comes immediately, after only a few days of getting to know players who he’s meeting for the first time. Germany coach Jürgen Klopp even said (not as a dig), “I know more Dutch players personally than Xavi.” If I were the Spaniard, I also would probably not make a lot of commitments and comments before I even get a true feel for the place. It’s like if you started a job where collaboration was key, and were asked, “how do you plan on working with everyone?” after the only words you’ve shared with anyone in the office are “nice to meet you.”
Anyway, Xavi selected a more experienced squad than I would have—and honestly, I’m increasingly thinking that I would have been in the wrong to choose so many new faces for my first selection. Do people go straight into the Kama Sutra when losing their virginity, or do they get a grip on missionary first? I think that actually, it’s better for Xavi to first get familiar with the experienced names, faces, and personalities before putting more of his own spin and flavor onto the team.
It does mean that our new coach is able to field a very strong team on paper. With the talents at his disposal, here’s how I’d line up, if I were him.
Assuming a classic Dutch 4-3-3 formation:
In Goal
GOALKEEPER: Robin Roefs (23) — Sunderland 🏴
Defense
LEFT DEFENDER: Jorrel Hato (20) — Chelsea 🏴
CENTRAL DEFENDER: Virgil van Dijk (35) — Liverpool 🏴
CENTRAL DEFENDER: Jan Paul van Hecke (26) — Tottenham 🏴
RIGHT DEFENDER: Denzel Dumfries (30) — Real Madrid 🇪🇸
Midfield
MIDFIELDER: Ryan Gravenberch (24) — Liverpool 🏴
MIDFIELDER: Tijjani Reijnders (28) — Al Qadsiah 🇸🇦
MIDFIELDER: Joey Veerman (27) — Borussia Dortmund 🇩🇪
Attack
LEFT WINGER: Cody Gakpo (27) — Liverpool 🏴
STRIKER: Brian Brobbey (24) — Sunderland 🏴
RIGHT WINGER: Crysencio Summerville (24) — Al Hilal 🇸🇦
Why This Lineup
This team is ijzersterk. Rock-solid. Yes, France and Spain are better, but fight me: this is a trophy-winning team. This team could win a World Cup or a European Championship with a little luck and some elbow grease.
Brobbey has so much potential in this team. In my “if I were Xavi” selection hyperlinked above, I didn’t even select Brian Brobbey… but then he went and scored three goals against Manchester City over the weekend. He wasn’t very effective at the World Cup against Morocco, but he’s still so young—almost surprisingly, given he’s been on my radar since 2020—and if he’s feeling himself, he has the capability to just bully defenders. I’m very excited to see how he grows within his role in the national team. One of my biggest critiques of the affectionately named “Brobbeast” was that he used to be desperate to be the one to score. He would ignore opportunities to make a pass to a teammate if he thought he had the chance to turn and score—and hey, I mean, I get it. When you spend so much energy backing into a defender to give your team a “target man” who can hold the ball as teammates move forward, it’s understandable to want to be rewarded with your name on the scoresheet. What I think he’s become more accustomed to is the fact that if you just play your role, and are unselfish, the goals will naturally come, as we saw over the summer against Sweden.
Roefs over Verbruggen. This is maybe the most controversial pick—many Dutch fans and pundits say that Verbruggen has done nothing to lose his job as starter, especially after being the only reason the Oranje even took that Morocco game to penalties. But this ain’t no fraternity or crime family. Roefs, if you ask me, has one thing that Verbruggen doesn’t have/has less of: killer instinct. It’s hard to explain. Je ne sais quoi. This truly is an embarrassment of riches, especially when you consider they’re 23 and 24 years old—that’s like toddler-age for goalkeepers. Legendary Dutch ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar was starting in a Champions League final for Manchester United after his 40th birthday. 40! By the time Verbruggen and Roefs retire, I will be in my mid-40s myself. Fortunately, still just a kid.
Dumfries on the right. If Jurriën Timber weren’t coming off of an injury, that would be a much harder decision—I think I would choose Timber with an eye to the future, even though it’s a bit ludicrous to not go with a starting player for Real freakin’ Madrid—but Timber’s injury trouble was reflected by Xavi leaving him out of the 23-man game-day squad (you can select 26 players but only bring 23 on game day; Kenneth Taylor and debutant Gjivai Zechiël are the other slachtoffers/casualties).
Veerman’s back. I am so happy that he is proving himself at Borussia Dortmund in Germany. If he brings even half of his talent to the Johan Cruijff Arena this afternoon, we’re in for a treat. He is the kind of player whose vision and passing are so valuable for international soccer, where teams don’t have the time to practice maneuvers and tactics like they do in club soccer.
No Van de Ven. As our friend at Clockwork Oranje highlighted, Van de Ven may not have made it to the tippity-top of European soccer if not for his speed. And hey, Virgil van Dijk is still Virgil van Dijk.