At club level, the 27-year-old has become one of the deadliest strikers in Europe during his time at Roma, with 27 goals in 34 appearances.
It’s been a different story at international level, however. Malen failed to provide a single goal contribution during the Netherland’s 2026 World Cup campaign.
Malen hasn’t scored an international goal since November 2025, largely due to the fact he’s been played as a right winger rather than a striker.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the game against Greece on Friday (November 13), Xavi underlined Malen’s importance to the Netherlands.
"We are trying to give him confidence. He wants to show his potential," Xavi explained, as quoted by NOS.
"Donyell is important to me and he must be important for the team. He is doing so well in Italy. We must take advantage of that. Of course, he can also play on the right, but for me, he is a striker."
"He's training really well and is in excellent shape. He's shown he's perfectly at ease.
“He's truly a player with many qualities that strengthen our team, and I can't wait to see him on the pitch.”