Frenkie de Jong Injury: Barcelona Star to Miss Crucial World Cup Qualifiers

De Jong's glute injury forces Netherlands squad change

Frenkie de Jong suffers glute injury, misses Netherlands' World Cup qualifiers against Poland and Lithuania.

“I have seen him play. I've talked about him with some guys, but I don't think it's smart to say anything...”

“Let him play in peace” - Frenkie de Jong is urging fans and pundits to stop comparing young talents like AZ's Kees Smit to established stars. De Jong made the call after Ronald Koeman compared Smit to Barcelona's Pedri, saying it's unfair to put that kind of pressure on youngsters.

Kees Smit, just 17, has been making waves with AZ, and was instrumental in the Netherlands' U19 European Championship win last summer. He was named the tournament's best player, and has continued to impress, including in AZ's Conference League match against Crystal Palace.

Ronald Koeman, the Netherlands manager, drew comparisons between AZ talent Kees Smit and Barcelona's Pedri, citing similarities in their playing styles, including their ability to turn away, two-footedness, scanning, and vision. Koeman had previously coached Pedri at Barcelona and believes Smit has potential.

Frenkie de Jong, who plays alongside Pedri at Barcelona, disagreed with the comparison, urging people to “let him play in peace.” De Jong thinks it's unfair to put pressure on young players like Smit and wants him to be given space to develop without being compared to established stars.

“I don't think anyone has a player like Pedri, except for Spain. I don't think many players play like Pedri, so I don't think we have a player like him,” De Jong told ESPN.

Frenkie de Jong is calling for more patience and space for young talents like Kees Smit to develop, saying they shouldn't be rushed or compared to established stars. “Let him play in peace,” De Jong emphasized, highlighting the need for youngsters to be given time to grow without undue pressure.

“I have seen him play. I've talked about him with some guys, but I don't think it's smart to say anything about that sort of thing immediately,” De Jong continued.

“I don't think it's wise to say too much about that at this stage. I don't think it helps the lad to create too many expectations or to make grandiose statements about him. He is a very talented player and could become very good, but I think we should let him play football in peace, and then we'll see.

“I don't think comparing him to the likes of Pedri would necessarily influence him, but why should we say things when we don't know what's going to happen? I understand, it creates enthusiasm, but I don't think it will help him if I say too much about it now.”

Frenkie de Jong will be missing the Netherlands' crucial FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Poland on November 14th and Lithuania on November 17th due to injury. The Dutch team, led by Ronald Koeman, is currently top of Group G and looking to secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup.

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