Joey Veerman has welcomed Xavi Hernández’s positive assessment of his qualities after the Borussia Dortmund midfielder returned to the Netherlands squad following two years away from international football.

Veerman was left out of the squad under Ronald Koeman after Euro 2024. The midfielder and former Netherlands coach were also involved in a public disagreement before last summer’s World Cup, with Koeman previously citing Veerman’s character among the reasons for leaving him out.

The change in management has brought a different outlook. Xavi included Veerman in his first Netherlands squad and spoke highly of the former PSV player during his press conference earlier this week.

“Technically, he is top. He can be of value to us in our build-up and our way of playing. He is very good at that. I like him as a player,” Xavi said, as quoted by Voetbal International.

Veerman heard the comments during his interview with VI and was pleased with the assessment.

“Well, that’s not bad,” the Dortmund midfielder said, as relayed by PSV Inside.

Veerman also spoke about Xavi’s career as a player, particularly his time at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, when the Spaniard formed one of football’s most celebrated midfield partnerships alongside Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.

The former PSV midfielder was keen to distance himself from comparisons with that trio.

“Those guys were at an incredibly high level. That was the top of the world. I’m not going to do that,” Veerman said.

Veerman also highlighted a difference between his own style and the football Xavi played during Barcelona’s dominant period.

“Moreover, I fill it in another way. I often want to play long passes and put teammates in front of the goalkeeper,” he explained.

“At Barcelona and in Spain, they were more into short combinations. They dribbled the ball, as it were, into the goal.”

Veerman’s return comes after a difficult period with Oranje, but the midfielder has now moved into a new chapter following his summer transfer from PSV to Dortmund.

Xavi’s comments suggest that Veerman’s technical ability and passing range could have a role in the new coach’s possession-based approach.

The midfielder now has the opportunity to establish himself in the Netherlands setup again, with his international return coming after two years away and following a strong start to his career in Germany.

Meanwhile, Johan Derksen has questioned Xavi’s selection and argued that Feyenoord midfielder Luciano Valente should have been chosen instead. Derksen has previously been critical of Veerman, saying he had struggled to make an impact for Oranje in important matches.

For Veerman, however, the focus is now on the present and the opportunity provided by Xavi.