Top Team Potential: Recognizing & Showing Your Value

• Thierry Boon

  follows the Dutch national team

“Something like that can happen, as long as it doesn’t happen too often.” Behind the television, the then slightly injured Frenkie saw the Dutch Juniors struggle in Lithuania last month (3-2). “I was happy that we won,” sighs the midfielder in the run-up to tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Malta.

Without De Jong, the Dutch national team often has a much more difficult time. Although Kaunas won narrowly, figures show that the Dutch team wins significantly less often without the FC Barcelona midfielder (52 percent) than with him (61.7 percent).

“I think we can still take some steps,” says De Jong. “We have a lot of potential, but it is not yet consistent enough. We do not always show that we are really a top team, even though we can be.”

The real tests come later. Not in Malta, visiting number 166 in the world rankings, in front of around 10,000 spectators in the largest stadium in the country, which is shared by several Maltese Premier League clubs. Yet there is a lot at stake for the Dutch team – which won 8-0 against Malta in June.

Of course, the next step towards qualifying for the World Cup. But also the good feeling, which has disappeared somewhat after the previous international match after the 1-1 against Poland and the almost failure in Lithuania.

“Playing in Oranje is always something fun, something special,” says De Jong. “It’s only a few periods a year and then you really want to make something of it together, especially towards a world championship.”

For De Jong, now 28 years old, the value in Malta also lies in refining the midfield, which he increasingly forms with Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City) and Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), in a controlling role.

It is the position where he, as the centerpiece of the team, comes into his own. Every attack starts with him. This is how national coach Ronald Koeman, who made De Jong’s debut in the Dutch team seven years ago, likes him.

But it was the same Koeman who, as coach of Barcelona in 2020, wanted De Jong to attack more. He had to become more important ‘higher’ on the pitch, with goals. It turned out not to be his strength, as evidenced by the figures.

De Jong has scored two goals in sixty international matches so far. In his 267 matches for Barcelona, the former Ajax player only found the net nineteen times. Moreover, with that long list of appearances (267), he is well on his way to becoming the Dutchman with the most appearances for Barça ever. Only Phillip Cocu played more games for the Spanish superpower, he played 292 matches.

He recently passed Koeman, who as a defender scored a staggering 88 goals in 264 matches in the red-blue shirt. The national coach saw that coming.

“It is a beautiful club and life there, I know that of course, is attractive. He was younger than me when he went to Barcelona, so it is nice and logical that he ultimately plays more matches,” said Koeman, next to De Jong at the Maltese press conference table.

The record is therefore in the hands of Cocu, who played his matches for Barcelona between 1998 and 2004. De Jong can still pass him this season. “In principle, that should work,” he says, knowing that he will soon extend his contract.

“I would consider it a huge honor to be the Dutchman with the most appearances for Barça. As a child I wanted to play for that club. Now we are in a good phase. Hopefully we can win big trophies. I want to be part of that.”

“For example, the trainer has won the Champions League, but I have not succeeded yet,” De Jong notes. “I just didn’t want to say that,” Koeman adds, laughing, “I’m glad you are doing that now.”