Jurgen Klopp and Xavi will make their international management debuts on Thursday night when the Netherlands face Germany in the UEFA Nations League opener in Amsterdam.
The two European heavyweights are in League A Group 2 alongside Serbia and Greece, with the top two qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Xavi, the Netherlands’ first foreign manager since 1978, has signed a four-year contract covering the next European Championship and World Cup.
The former Barcelona midfielder has spoken about his strong connection to Dutch football, citing the influence of Johan Cruyff and his experiences under Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard.
Xavi wants to build a Netherlands team without “egos” and introduce an attacking, possession-based style. His appointment follows Ronald Koeman’s departure after the Netherlands were eliminated by Morocco on penalties in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup.
The Netherlands have not lost a competitive match in normal time since their 1-0 defeat to Germany in October 2024.
They also reached the quarter-finals of the 2024-25 Nations League, drawing 2-2 with Germany in Amsterdam before finishing second in their group.
Klopp, meanwhile, has taken charge of Germany after leaving Liverpool in 2024. The former Reds boss spent just six months as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull before returning to management.
Klopp has been tasked with rebuilding Germany and restoring their winning mentality after their disappointing World Cup campaign. Die Mannschaft failed to win their final two matches, including a 2-1 defeat to Ecuador.
Germany are unbeaten in their last four meetings with the Netherlands, recording two wins and two draws. They have also lost just once in their last nine away matches against European opposition.
Speaking ahead of the game, Klopp said: “All the players have the desire, and so we feel a fresh start. In Amsterdam I haven’t heard of many friendly matches. So it starts straight away. I don’t know who I would have preferred to play against.”
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