“Me dijo que no podía seguir jugando y por eso le cambié,” said Xavi Hernández, Netherlands manager, after Frenkie de Jong was substituted at halftime during a UEFA Nations League match on Friday night, November 14, 2026, in Amsterdam.
The Barcelona midfielder experienced back pain during the fixture against Greece, prompting his removal at the interval as the Netherlands secured a 7-0 victory, MARCA reported. De Jong had already reported discomfort to the coaching staff prior to kickoff.
One of the images of the match was the substitution of Frenkie de Jong, captain in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, after the break. The player had to be substituted in the first half of the match that faced the Netherlands with Greece, in which the Dutch imposed themselves with a resounding 7-0 score.
Xavi addressed the substitution after the match, explaining that the player felt unable to continue.
“Tenía problemas en la espalda. Me dijo que no continuar jugando y por eso le cambié.”
The manager downplayed the severity of the issue, stating that the problem does not represent a major injury. Jornada Perfecta said that the decision served as a precautionary measure given the player’s recent return from a four-month layoff caused by a knee ligament injury sustained at the previous World Cup.
This situation occurs after the footballer suffered a serious injury during the past World Cup, keeping him out for four months, which provoked anger from the Barcelona board because they considered that he forced himself too much to play and subsequently did not go immediately to Barcelona to undergo medical tests, keeping in mind that he reappeared less than a month ago.
🗣️Xavi sobre por qué sacó a Frenkie de Jong: "Tenía molestias en la espalda. Me dijo que no podía seguir jugando. Incluso antes del partido ya tenía algunos problemas." "Creo que puede jugar contra Alemania el lunes." pic.twitter.com/WvPzaR6954
COPE reported that the Dutch manager expects the midfielder to recover in time for the group stage finale against Germany in Berlin on Monday, November 16, 2026. Next Monday, the Netherlands will play the final duel of the group stage of the Nations League against Germany in Berlin.
“Creo que volverá a estar disponible para el próximo lunes,” Hernández said.
“Acabo de volver de una lesión, así que tenía sentido para mí ser cambiado,” the player said, according to Jornada Perfecta, pointing to the accumulation of travel and minutes.
Por qué fue sustituido Frenkie de Jong contra Grecia. He experienced back discomfort that worsened before halftime, leading manager Xavi Hernández to remove him as a precaution.
The Netherlands coaching staff expects him to be available for the match in Berlin on November 16, 2026, pending further evaluation.
