Frenkie de Jong: 'I Feel Like I'm Back' After 73 Minutes Against Spain
Frenkie de Jong made a successful return to the Netherlands national team, playing 73 minutes in their draw against Spain. De Jong feels 'back' after a lengthy injury layoff, but acknowledges he still needs to work on his fitness level.
Frenkie de Jong expressed his happiness at being back with the Netherlands national team after a lengthy absence due to injury and recovery. De Jong missed last year's EUROs and five of the Netherlands' six Nations League group stage matches. He made a successful return against Spain in the UEFA Nations League, playing 73 minutes, his longest stint for the Netherlands since the 2023 UEFA Nations League finals.
In a post-match interview with Dutch TV, De Jong shared his feelings about his return to the national team. “I do feel like I'm back - for a while now,” he told the NOS. De Jong's participation in the match was uncertain due to illness, which had caused him to miss Barcelona's LaLiga game against Atletico Madrid the previous weekend.
De Jong acknowledged that he still needs to work on his fitness level, which was evident during the match against Spain. “I still need to get a bit fitter though, because I was really empty at one point. Quite quickly already, so that surprised me too,” he admitted. De Jong speculated that his fatigue might be related to his recent illness, as he hasn't experienced similar issues while playing for Barcelona. “Maybe it's a one-off because at Barcelona it's not too bad. It could be to do with being ill.”
The Netherlands secured a 2-2 draw against Spain, thanks to Mikel Merino's injury-time equalizer. Spain's opening goal was scored after Ajax defender Jorrel Hato lost possession of the ball to Lamine Yamal. Despite this mistake, former Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong was impressed with Hato's overall performance.
De Jong praised Hato's resilience and confidence, saying, “Mistakes can be made, and I think Hato played a very good game. Impressive, after that first goal, but I think he played very well.” De Jong acknowledged that mistakes are an inevitable part of the game, but emphasized the importance of bouncing back and continuing to play with confidence.
De Jong continued to praise Hato's maturity and composure, considering his young age. “Making mistakes is possible, then you just have to keep going. Keep showing guts and play with confidence. He has done that, and that is very clever when you are so young,” De Jong said, highlighting Hato's promising potential and ability to learn from his mistakes.
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