Perez’s outburst forces Xavi Hernandez to look beyond top Dutch clubs

National team coach Xavi Hernandez has recently been told he must widen his search beyond the traditional powerhouses in the Netherlands after former player Kenneth Perez slammed the idea of selecting a FC Utrecht player for the Dutch national team.

Perez challenges selection policy

Kenneth Perez reacted sharply, asking “You don’t bring someone from FC Utrecht into the Dutch national team?” The remark ignited a debate about whether the national team should look further than the country’s elite clubs.

Analysts Arno Vermeulen and Marciano Vink agreed that the coach needs to broaden his horizons. Vermeulen called Perez’s comment “a rather odd remark” and urged the staff to “look more often like this, so we see talent from smaller clubs”. Vink added that “it actually shouldn’t matter for a national team coach”.

’s highlighted midfielder Gjivai Zechiël, who while at FC Utrecht was not considered for the Dutch national team. Now playing for Feyenoord, he has become a viable option, with Vink praising his impact on the last two Feyenoord matches.

Zechiël missed the fixtures against Germany and Serbia because he was featuring for Jong Oranje, but he could be available for the upcoming match against Greece on Thursday.