Xavi continues to emphasize his approach of giving opportunities to young players, this time with the Netherlands national team, after starting his tenure as head coach with positive results.
Xavi took over as the Netherlands manager this summer and has made a good start, drawing his first match against Germany 1-1 before securing his first victory three days later against Serbia, winning 2-1 in Belgrade, thanks to the brilliance of AZ Alkmaar forward Mexx Meerdink, who scored both goals for his country.
Mexx Meerdink has emerged as one of Xavi's personal bets with the Netherlands, as the player was not part of the original squad before getting the chance to join the camp following Donyell Malen's injury. In just a few days, the situation changed for the 21-year-old forward, who came on as a substitute against Germany after Brian Brobbey's injury, before Xavi gave him a starting position against Serbia, where the player responded with a brace that led the Netherlands to victory.
Barcelona's experience is present.
This is not the first time that Xavi has opened the door for young players lacking international or first-team experience. During his time as manager of FC Barcelona, the Spanish coach has given opportunities to several graduates of the "La Masia" academy, most notably Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, and Pau Cubarsí.
The story of Lamine Yamal is the most prominent, as Xavi gave him his first appearance with the first team on April 29, 2023, against Real Betis, when he was only 15 years old. The player then began a rapid rise and became one of the key figures at FC Barcelona.
Fermín López made his official first-team debut against Villarreal on August 27, 2023, before becoming one of FC Barcelona's discoveries that season, scoring 11 goals. A few months later, it was Pau Cubarsí's turn, who made his debut against Unionistas Salamanca in the Copa del Rey on January 18, 2024, and then Xavi started him against Real Betis just four days later.
Three different stories are united by Xavi's reliance on young players when he sees their ability to compete at the highest levels. Now, it seems that Meerdink represents the latest application of this approach with the Netherlands, having taken his first opportunity perfectly and scored two goals in his first start for the national team.
