Van Dijk withdrew from the squad on Monday evening, leaving the Netherlands without their long-time captain. With recent captains Memphis Depay and Stefan de Vrij also absent, Xavi named Frenkie de Jong the team captain for this window.
It'll be the first time De Jong will captain the squad, despite being a 70-time international. There was no doubt on Xavi's mind that De Jong would wear the captain's armband.
"I picked him firstly because of his personality. He wants the ball, he wants to improve every day, and he wants to be part of the team," Xavi said during Thursday's press conference.
"He's one of the best midfielders in the world," Xavi said about De Jong, who was honoured to be given the armband.
‘It would be a massive honour if I were to take over from Virgil as captain. I think that, thanks to my experience and professionalism, I can set an example for others. I’ve become one of the leaders now, too," the Barcelona star told Algemeen Dagblad.
The Netherlands face Greece in their second-to-last match in the UEFA Nations League group stage on Friday, November 13th. Oranje can punch their ticket to the quarterfinals with a win.