Sports
Klopp and Xavi debut as Germany meet Netherlands in Nations League opener
September 24, 2026 at 07:27 PM
Coverage
5 reports · over 12 hours
Jürgen Klopp and Xavi Hernández make their coaching debuts as Germany face the Netherlands in the opening round of the UEFA Nations League on Thursday.
- Both managers, Jürgen Klopp and Xavi Hernández, announced their starting lineups ahead of Thursday's opening-match fixture.
- Xavi became the first foreign coach to lead the Netherlands since Ernst Happel's 10-month tenure ended in 1978.
- Klopp said the coaches' situations were similar and that he knows more Dutch players personally than Xavi does.
- Klopp said he might withdraw from the coaching role if his family faced media pursuit.
- Joshua Kimmich made his 115th appearance for Germany against the Netherlands, moving into seventh place alone on the all-time caps list, ahead of Toni Kroos (114).




