Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong once feared his persistent ankle injury might never heal, but he’s thrilled to be back on the international stage after more than a year away from the team.
De Jong is set to feature in Saturday’s Nations League clash as the Dutch host Hungary in Amsterdam for their penultimate group match. He made his long-awaited return to Barcelona last month after a nearly six-month absence.
“Did I wonder whether I would ever fully recover? That crossed my mind sometimes, but I always had the confidence that I would eventually be able to play football again,” De Jong told reporters on Wednesday.
“There was uncertainty about how long it would take and whether my ankle would be completely the same as it was before,” he added.
The 27-year-old said the hardest part was missing this year’s European Championship in Germany, where the Dutch reached the semifinals.
“That was tough. I watched all the matches of the Dutch national team, but not much of the rest. I did not want to be confronted with it every time.”
De Jong played his last international match in September 2023 against Ireland.
He was taken off on Sunday when Barcelona lost to Real Sociedad, but fears he would miss out for the Netherlands again were alleviated when he arrived at the training camp on Tuesday.
“I first got a blow on the muscle next to my shin and then another kick, but it was nothing to do with my knee or ankle. I knew it was not a serious injury, but it did bother me a lot,” De Jong said.