Xavi acknowledges the difficulty of excluding Memphis from the squad

During the match between Feyenoord and Utrecht, Xavi Hernández, newly appointed manager of the Netherlands, presented his first squad list and left out Memphis Depay, the 32‑year‑old striker from Corinthians. The revelation, communicated via EFE, surprised the Dutch fans.

Depay's Absence in the Nations League

The Terrassa‑born will not be part of the long international break of the Nations League, in which the Oranje will face Germany, Serbia in two matches, and Greece. The absence of the Corinthians striker leaves the team without one of its usual attacking options. The information was confirmed by journalist Yaca Garcia‑Planas of EFE.

The news caused a stir in the Netherlands, as the exclusion of the former Barcelona player coincided with his missed penalty that eliminated the Brazilian side from the Copa Libertadores. The Dutch public debated intensely about the new coach's decision.

Hours later, Memphis Depay posted a lengthy and heartfelt message apologizing to the Corinthians fans, expressing his sadness at not representing the Oranje during this period.

In a press conference, Xavi admitted that it was difficult for him to call Memphis to convey the decision. He said: “I know him well. I have a good relationship with him. I handled it very well. He reacted with great maturity and understood my decision perfectly.”

However, he assured that the door is not closed for Memphis nor for any other player, keeping the possibility of future call‑ups open.