Netherlands national team head coach Xavi Hernández admitted to losing his voice after a tense 2-1 victory over Serbia in Eindhoven, telling nos.nl that his side is still in the process of forging a unified squad during his opening weeks in charge.
A Benumbing Win and a Lost Voice in Eindhoven
Xavi Hernández confirmed after the final whistle against Serbia that the physical and mental demands of his first international period have taken a toll on his vocal cords. “I’ve lost my voice. But that’s normal,” the Dutch national team manager said in his post-match comments reported by nos.nl. The 2-1 win brought Oranje to eight points at the summit of their UEFA Nations League group, though the manager acknowledged the team labored to control the contest against aggressive man-to-man defending.
Tactical Shifts and Joshua Zirkzee’s Winner
Oranje struggled to establish possession in the first half before Xavi altered his tactical setup after the interval. “After the rest, we changed the system and created more chances. Then we were more dominant,” Xavi explained. The decisive moment arrived via a late goal from substitute Joshua Zirkzee, which the coach described as a brilliant sequence involving numerous quick passing exchanges. Voetbal International noted that Zirkzee entered the match at halftime replacing Mexx Meerdink, who struggled to replicate his earlier form in Belgrade and received a 5 player rating from the outlet.
Squad Rotation and Self-Criticism from the Bench
“Maybe we should have changed more players. We had a hard time physically sometimes. We were tired,” the coach told the outlet. To combat fatigue, Xavi handed debut minutes of his tenure to Jorrel Hato and Teun Koopmeiners against Serbia, with Hato earning a team-high 7 rating alongside fellow substitute Gjivai Zechiël from Voetbal International.
Analyst Reaction to the New Dutch Setup
Analyst Youri Mulder praised the transparency shown by the Spanish trainer during his early tenure. “I think he sounds very authentic. He has humor, the interviews are nice. He is open and honest. He occasionally criticizes himself as well. He says: I did it wrong. He is self-critical,” Mulder observed, adding that he believes the squad still possesses significant room for growth.
Building a Family Before the Next International Break
With the current international window closed, Xavi emphasized that his primary objective remains team cohesion rather than immediate tactical perfection. “The most important thing is that we are forging a family,” the manager repeated to nos.nl. Oranje players will return to their respective clubs before regrouping in six weeks, at which point Xavi hopes to monitor player form and welcome back injured absentees such as Frenkie de Jong and Bryan Brobbey.
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