Former Manchester United and Dutch international Ruud van Nistelrooy will again be part of the Dutch technical staff in the run-up to the World Cup, the national association announced on Friday.
The 49-year-old, who has scored 35 goals in 70 caps for the Dutch side, will be assistant to manager Ronald Koeman as the Dutch prepare their World Cup match.
“It is a huge honor and a wonderful challenge for me to take up this role at Oranje again and represent the Netherlands with this staff and talented group of players,” said the former striker who coached Leicester in the English Premier League last season.
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Koeman said he was looking forward to tapping into Van Nistelrooy’s «valuable tournament experience, both as a player and as a coach».
The Dutch came through the qualifying group undefeated, with the only downside being a home and away draw against Poland.
Their group opponents at the World Cup are Japan, Tunisia and the team emerging from the group stage, which includes Poland, Ukraine, Sweden and Albania.
In the 2022 edition, the Netherlands lost on penalties in the quarter-finals to Lionel Messi’s Argentina after an ill-tempered match in Qatar.
Published on January 16, 2026
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