Virgil van Dijk will continue playing for the Netherlands national team under new head coach Xavi Hernandez, ending weeks of speculation that he might walk away from international football following the Dutch side’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Netherlands exited the tournament in the round of 32, beaten by Morocco 3-2 on penalties after the sides had finished 1-1 after extra time.
That result brought about a coaching change, with former Barcelona player and manager Xavi Hernandez announced as the new head coach of the national team.
Xavi’s appointment made him the first foreign coach to take charge of Oranje since the early 1970s.
Rumours surrounding Van Dijk’s potential retirement from international football had gathered pace in the aftermath of the World Cup exit, with former Dutch international Ronald de Boer among those suggesting the Liverpool captain may have played his final game for the national side.
Van Dijk held talks with Xavi before making a decision on his international future.
Van Dijk himself kept the door open while offering no firm commitment. When asked about his future, he said: “It’s a good question, I will have that meeting with the new manager first. Let’s see. It’s a little bit down to that conversation.”
Those words reflected something that has run throughout his international career, a desire to feel valued and central to the team’s plans.
Xavi moved quickly to resolve the uncertainty.
He travelled to Anfield to watch Van Dijk help Liverpool defeat Atlético Madrid in their Champions League opener, and held discussions with the centre-back during the visit.
The new coach did not wait for Virgil van Dijk to come to him and the meeting left no room for doubt.
Speaking at his press conference on Monday, as reported by NOS, Xavi confirmed: “Virgil will remain the captain. I went to see him and it was a very good meeting. He is a true leader, very positive and motivated.”
Van Dijk was subsequently named in Xavi’s 26-man squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures. He now sits on 96 caps for the Netherlands, with the milestone of 100 international appearances potentially within reach next month.
The Netherlands face Germany on Thursday, Serbia on Sunday, Greece on October 1, and Serbia again on October 4 – four matches across an extended three-week international window.
Jeremie Frimpong, who had been cut from Ronald Koeman’s World Cup squad, was recalled to the setup alongside fellow Liverpool players Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo.
That gives Liverpool four representatives in Xavi’s first squad, with Van Dijk at the head of them.
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