In Amsterdam, Xavi Hernández has begun his Netherlands tenure with a decision that reaches as far as São Paulo: Memphis Depay has been left out of the Oranje squad for the forthcoming Nations League window, only days after a costly miss for Corinthians.
Key takeaways
- Xavi omitted the 32-year-old Corinthians forward from his first Netherlands selection.
- The Oranje are due to face Germany, Serbia twice and Greece during the extended Nations League break.
- Memphis recently missed a penalty in Corinthians’ Copa Libertadores elimination.
- Xavi said the striker accepted the conversation with maturity and understood the choice.
- The new coach stressed that Memphis remains eligible for future call-ups.
A difficult call across the Atlantic
The absence of Memphis was one of the striking elements of Xavi’s first squad announcement as Netherlands coach. The former Barcelona manager knows the forward well from their time together in Catalonia, making the phone call a more personal one than a routine selection decision.
Speaking at his press conference, Xavi said it had not been easy to inform Memphis that he would not be involved this time. “I know him well and we have a good relationship,” he explained. “He handled it very well. He reacted with great maturity and understood my decision perfectly.”
For the Netherlands, the break offers an unusually demanding run of fixtures, with Germany, Greece and two meetings with Serbia on the schedule. Xavi has chosen to start that sequence without a player who has long been a prominent figure in the national side.
Corinthians setback before the international omission
The decision came shortly after a difficult night for Memphis in Brazil. His missed penalty contributed to Corinthians being knocked out of the Copa Libertadores, and the forward subsequently published a lengthy, emotional apology to the club’s supporters.
Although he has been excluded for the present international window, Xavi made clear that the move is not a final judgement on the attacker. “The door is not closed,” he said. “Not for Memphis, not for anyone.”
