Xavi's Bold Start: Memphis Depay Omitted from Netherlands Squad
Xavi has wasted no time putting his stamp on the Netherlands. His first squad as national coach carries a ruthless headline: no Memphis Depay.
The country’s joint-second all-time scorer, still hunting the national team’s goals record, has been left out for the upcoming international window. Status, memories, reputation – none of it has been enough. Not when Memphis is still waiting for his first goal in Brazil with Corinthians and clearly short of his old sharpness.
For years, Memphis was untouchable. Under Xavi, that era is over.
Old guard cut, new rules in place
Memphis is not alone. Marten de Roon and Wout Weghorst have also been pushed to the margins, the kind of experienced figures previous coaches leaned on in tight moments. Xavi has looked at their current level and decided to move on.
Injuries have made some choices for him. Frenkie de Jong is still out with the knee problem that ruined his World Cup, delaying the reunion many in the Netherlands were desperate to see: the former Barcelona coach and his midfield metronome back together in orange. Mats Wieffer also misses out through injury, while Stefan de Vrij’s absence, after his move to Greece, feels less like bad luck and more like the slow fade of an international career.
There is one major return, though. Jurrien Timber is back. The defender, who missed the World Cup and a huge stretch of football with a serious knee injury, offers versatility, composure and a reminder that this squad is not just being ripped up – it is being rebuilt.
Youth at the heart of Xavi’s first squad
The real story of this list is not who has gone, but who has arrived.
Ruben van Bommel, son of former Oranje midfielder Mark van Bommel, has been one of the most exciting early-season stories in the Eredivisie. Back from a cruciate ligament injury, he has exploded into life with PSV Eindhoven: two goals, two assists in the league, and an energy that fits perfectly with a manager demanding intensity and form, not just famous surnames.
Xavi has rewarded that form. The message is obvious: play well for your club, and you are in.
Gjivai Zechiel is another fresh face forcing his way through. Now a regular starter at Feyenoord, the technical midfielder has already scored five times this season. He is not just neat and tidy; he arrives in the box, he finishes, he hurts teams. That kind of edge from midfield has been missing at times for the Netherlands. Xavi clearly thinks Zechiel can help fix that.
Veerman’s second chance
Then there is Joey Veerman, perhaps the most intriguing inclusion of all.
Once frozen out under Ronald Koeman after a poor showing against Austria at Euro 2024, the midfielder became a lightning rod in the Dutch media. His tactical suitability was pulled apart, his place in the national team dismissed. Under Koeman, he slipped from the picture entirely.
Now, after a fresh start with Borussia Dortmund, Xavi has brought him back in from the cold. At 27, Veerman is no longer a prospect – he is either good enough for this level or he is not. Xavi clearly believes he is. The coach wants central midfielders who can pass through pressure, who can see the final ball from deep and execute it. Veerman’s range and vision give him exactly that profile.
His rehabilitation is more than just a selection call. It underlines a clean slate. Old arguments are being left behind.
Van Dijk stays to lead the new cycle
One decision may prove as important as any name on the list: Virgil van Dijk is staying.
After the painful World Cup exit to Morocco, the captain openly questioned his international future. Retirement from Oranje was on his mind. Then came a private conversation with Xavi in August. The result: Van Dijk committed to continue as captain.
For a squad in transition, that matters. Van Dijk remains the anchor at the back, the voice in the dressing room, the standard-setter on the pitch. Around him, Xavi can build.
He will not be alone. Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke, both established in the Premier League, give the Netherlands a modern, athletic defensive core, comfortable defending space and playing high. It is the kind of back line that can support the proactive, technically demanding football Xavi is expected to bring.
No hard line on Saudi moves
One area where Xavi has shown nuance is around players heading to the Middle East. Many national coaches have taken a hard stance on moves to the Saudi Pro League. Xavi has not.
Tijjani Reijnders and Crysencio Summerville both keep their places despite recent transfers to Saudi Arabia. For now, the new coach is judging them on performance and fitness, not on the league they play in.
It fits the broader theme of his first squad: clear principles, but no dogma. Form and intensity over reputation. Flexibility where it serves the team.
The Koeman era is in the rear-view mirror. Big names have been cut, new blood has arrived, and the captain has chosen to stay on board. Xavi has made his intentions plain with one brutal decision on Memphis Depay.
The question now is simple: will this bold reset turn the Netherlands into genuine contenders again, or will the cost of such ruthlessness only become clear when the pressure of qualification and tournaments truly bites?
