Both went out on penalties in June. Klopp and Xavi start again, against each other, in Amsterdam

Neither Jürgen Klopp nor Xavi Hernández has taken charge of a national team for a match before. Tonight they start against each other when the Netherlands host Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA at 20:45 CEST (19:45 BST), in the opening round of League A Group 2 of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League. Netherlands vs Germany is the 49th meeting between the two countries.

Both were hired after the same kind of summer. Germany went out of the World Cup in the round of 32, beaten on penalties by Paraguay after a 1-1 draw, and Julian Nagelsmann resigned on 3 July. The Netherlands lost to Morocco at the same stage, also on penalties after 1-1, which ended Ronald Koeman's second spell in charge. The DFB appointed Klopp on a four-year contract on 24 July. The KNVB announced Xavi on 12 August, with a deal to the 2030 World Cup. He is the Netherlands' first foreign head coach since Ernst Happel in 1978.

Each of Germany's five head coaches this century won his first match. Klopp, the 13th man in the job, goes straight into a competitive game without a friendly, and he knows the opposition better than most. At Liverpool he coached Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo, and on Wednesday he pointed that out himself.

I know more of Holland's players personally than Xavi does.

Jürgen Klopp, Germany head coach. Translated from German by ArenaBulletin.

He added that he did not know whether that was an advantage. Asked about the rivalry at his press conference in the stadium, he said it had no meaning for him: he knows about it, but has never felt it. The ground is familiar to him too. Liverpool won Champions League games away to Ajax there in 2020 and 2022.

His goalkeeper will be at home. Klopp has confirmed that Marc-André ter Stegen, who now plays for Ajax, will start, and ter Stegen described Amsterdam as his new home. Klopp named 44 players in two groups for four games in 11 days. The first group of 24 included six uncapped players, and first-time call-up Bambasé Conté is the one left out of tonight's 23. Captain Joshua Kimmich has faced the Netherlands seven times, more than anyone else in the squad.

Xavi has left Gjivai Zechiël, Kenneth Taylor and Jurriën Timber out of his 23, so Zechiël must wait for his senior debut. Ruben van Bommel could make his, as could Mexx Meerdink, called up with Guus Til after Donyell Malen and Justin Kluivert withdrew injured. Frenkie de Jong is still recovering from the knee injury he sustained at the World Cup, Mats Wieffer misses the squad through injury, and Memphis Depay was not selected.

Brian Brobbey arrives after a hat-trick for Sunderland against Manchester City last weekend. Gakpo has 24 international goals, level with Marco van Basten and Dirk Kuyt, and Van Dijk starts the window on 96 caps.

Germany have won 18 of the 48 previous meetings and the Netherlands 12, with 18 drawn. In Amsterdam, Germany's record is five wins, five draws and three defeats. The last game there, in September 2024, finished 2-2, and Germany won the return in Munich 1-0 a month later.

A moment of silence will be held before kick-off for Bartina Koeman, the wife of Ronald Koeman, who died last week aged 65. After tonight the Netherlands travel to Serbia on Sunday, while Germany host Greece in Augsburg.