Xavi announces first Netherlands squad as Zechiel and Van Bommel debut

[p]Gjivai Zechiel, 22, has impressed mightily in the opening weeks of the Dutch Eredivisie, scoring 5 goals and providing 3 assists in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/feyenoord/8zjySeoN/"]Feyenoord[/a]'s first seven games of the season. Ruben van Bommel has been impressing as well, with 2 goals and 2 assists in six games after returning from a severe knee injury.[/p][p]Captain Virgil van Dijk officially returns for [i]Oranje[/i] duty, with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] defender's Netherlands leaving future up in the air after Ronald Koeman's resignation and awaiting two meetings with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/xavi/bs5KnIiT/"]Xavi[/a], who was appointed in August.[/p][p]Xavi has no place for all-time Netherlands top scorer [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/depay-memphis/zo1h8MrD/"]Memphis Depay[/a] in his squad. Memphis returned to Brazilian side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/corinthians/QBGfQbSe/"]Corinthians[/a] in August, but has not scored in six appearances.[/p][image alt="Feyenoord's Gjivai Zechiel celebrates scoring against Go Ahead Eagles" id="402cea59-8c96-4351-bc68-68cdf40e434e" credit-line="Photo by MARCEL VAN DORST / NURPHOTO / NURPHOTO VIA AFP" guid="b8c74026-1f20-40de-bb4e-229963cbdf18" original-width="5906" original-height="3937" /][p]The Catalan boss has also granted returns to Kenneth Taylor and Joey Veerman. Veerman was an essential part of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psv/M9UEHJWi/"]PSV[/a]'s league dominance, but was overlooked by Ronald Koeman, who had a strained relationship with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dortmund/nP1i5US1/"]Dortmund[/a] midfielder. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lazio/URcSl02h/"]Lazio[/a]'s Taylor has not played for [i]Oranje[/i] since March 2025, when the Netherlands played Spain in the UEFA Nations League. The former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ajax/8UOvIwnb/"]Ajax[/a] midfielder has played five total games for the Netherlands, with the majority coming in 2023, but is a mainstay in Lazio's midfield.[/p][p]Xavi has to do without several key players, including [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-jong-frenkie/A1F3rz9c/"]Frenkie de Jong[/a], who's recovering from a knee injury picked up at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Netherlands were knocked out of the round of 32 by Morocco.[/p][p]The Netherlands are playing four games in the upcoming 'XL international break', starting with a home game against Jurgen Klopp's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a] in Amsterdam on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/germany-ptQide1O/netherlands-WYintcWb/?mid=YTiXRfng"]September 24th[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/greece/COuk57Ci/"]Greece[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/greece-COuk57Ci/netherlands-WYintcWb/?mid=UcYKxC0B"]01-10[/a]) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/serbia/8Kl6iq0i/"]Serbia[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/netherlands-WYintcWb/serbia-8Kl6iq0i/?mid=O0VCvYVb"]27-09[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/netherlands-WYintcWb/serbia-8Kl6iq0i/?mid=0OieMjGU"]04-10[/a]) are the remaining opponents. [/p][h2]Full squad[/h2][p][b]Goalkeepers[/b]: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/flekken-mark/INE64p13/"]Mark Verbruggen[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/roefs-robin/Ao7TtUZn/"]Robin Roefs[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/flekken-mark/INE64p13/"]Mark Flekken[/a][/p][p][b]Defenders[/b]: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/timber-jurrien/hSaoLOM4/"]Jurrien Timber[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dumfries-denzel/QR0j1ejk/"]Denzel Dumfries[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-de-ven-micky/rotN6HH8/"]Micky van de Ven[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-hecke-jan-paul/WG59HGIH/"]Jan Paul van Hecke[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-dijk-virgil/U59RNqOr/"]Virgil van Dijk[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/frimpong-jeremie/SjJ6pCvC/"]Jeremie Frimpong[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hato-jorrel/nFLCJBzK/"]Jorrel Hato[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ake-nathan/6LBvaQoh/"]Nathan Ake[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/geertruida-lutsharel/zwx6dFjk/"]Lutsharel Geertruida[/a][/p][p][b]Midfielders[/b]: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gravenberch-ryan/Y5aFd8V4/"]Ryan Gravenberch[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/reijnders-tijani/f17EnPl3/"]Tijjani Reijnders[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/veerman-joey/AgXeAAQR/"]Joey Veerman[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zechiel-gjivai/6BQvLBnt/"]Gjivai Zechiel[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/taylor-kenneth/rH62aAon/"]Kenneth Taylor[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/koopmeiners-teun/lOCjQkeo/"]Teun Koopmeiners[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/timber-quinten/Ag97KtSd/"]Quinten Timber[/a][/p][p][b]Forwards[/b]: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/summerville-crysencio/EaRET7t6/"]Crysencio Summerville[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kluivert-justin/fq4lU5sI/"]Justin Kluivert[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gakpo-cody/pWyuBud0/"]Cody Gakpo[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-bommel-ruben/djWkTIzc/"]Ruben van Bommel[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brobbey-brian/pfAvgQUT/"]Brian Brobbey[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/malen-donyell/KOdKXsao/"]Donyell Malen[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lang-noa/4YZobWel/"]Noa Lang[/a][/p][embed guid="bf5195b1-1aa2-4032-96c8-833cd628a18a" url="https://x.com/OnsOranje/status/2100888550879203782?s=20" social-type="twitter" /]