Germany and the Netherlands scored 1-1 in the Nations League, in a match that marked the debut of Jürgen Klopp and Xavi Hernández as selectors of both teams.
The two teams came to the match after disappointing performances in the last World Cup, so the duel also represented the beginning of a new stage for two of the main powers of European football.
The match had rhythm, occasions and offensive vocation, although the lack of precision in the last meters prevented the scoring from having more goals. Xavi highlighted the reaction of the Netherlands during the second half.
“They showed personality, ambition, desire.This is what we want.So yes, I think the second part is the way we should play,” Xavi said.
Germany advanced in the 32nd minute by Felix Nmecha, in an action that provoked the anger of the Dutch.
The Netherlands claimed that the game continued after Brian Brobbey was stretched over the playing field for an injury.
When it seemed that Xavi's debut would end with a defeat, Cody Gakpo appeared in the added time. The footballer, who coincided with Klopp during his stage at Liverpool, took advantage of a precise center of Ruben van Bommel to score the definitive 1-1.
The trivela assist to volleyball goal was BEAUTIFUL from the Netherlands ?? pic.twitter.com/khfoNu3ckP
The draw allowed the Netherlands to rescue a point in Xavi's premiere, while Germany left a victory that seemed to have gone.
For his first international engagement, Jürgen Klopp chose to considerably expand the group of players he will have under observation.
Liverpool's ex-coach called 44 footballers, including 16 who had not yet debuted with the national team, within the two teams used to face this four-match phase of the Nations League.
Klopp, who left Liverpool in 2024 after eight and a half years, stressed his lack of experience as a coach by recalling his career in club football.
“So I knew, most of the things. I have fantastic players. We had a tough game against a fantastic team. You want to win these games, but we knew before that, whatever the result we get, we’ll have to work with it. And that’s exactly what we’re doing now,” Klopp said.
The German coach also identified a coincidence between the two teams: the need to rebuild after their respective eliminations in the World Cup.
“There were two teams, two very good football teams, in the same situation.Both wanted to show that things are not as bad as currently perceived.
A Liverpool reunion for Jürgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk in Klopp first match as Germany’s head coach (via @OnsOranje) pic.twitter.com/aD4Z2xUTWN
Xavi faced his first match with a call of 26 players and one of his first decisions was to leave Memphis Depay, the top historic goalkeeper of the Netherlands.
The former Spanish midfielder came to the Dutch bench with the intention of recovering a more offensive proposal. For his debut he used the traditional 4-3-3, a system deeply related to the Dutch football school.
The bet was reflected in the offensive statistics: the Dutch team ended with 21 goal attempts, against the 10 of Germany.
Xavi had explained that his relationship with Dutch football began from his training as a player and highlighted the influence of coaches such as Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard.
“Other great coaches, especially Louis van Gaal, with whom I made my Barcelona debut, and Frank Rijkaard, also played an important role in my training as a player and coach,” Xavi added.
The Spanish coach signed a contract with the Netherlands until the 2030 World Cup.
The match also allowed Klopp to meet two footballers with whom he shared an important stage at Liverpool: Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo.
During the heating, Klopp and Van Dijk exchanged smiles and jokes, while the German coach also starred in an embrace with Gakpo before the start of the match.
The relationship between Klopp and Van Dijk dates back to the stage in which the Dutch defender became a key piece of Liverpool.
“He’s been a very important person in my career so far, along with Ronald Koeman, and I’ve always felt a great appreciation for that,” Van Dijk said before the match.
Klopp led Liverpool from 2015 to 2024 and during that period won, among other titles, the Champions League and the Premier League. Now a different stage begins, with Germany, as Xavi faces the challenge of transforming the Dutch proposal towards the next world cycle.
