Frenkie de Jong offered an update on his fitness after starting for the Netherlands
in a 5-1 win over Sweden at World Cup 2026 on Saturday.The Barcelona midfielder was a doubt for the game, with manager Ronald Koeman admitting beforehand that he was struggling with a minor issue.
De Jong went on to play an hour of the win but said afterwards that he’s still feeling some pain.
“We played below par against Japan because Japan was very disciplined in defense. I wouldn’t say it was a stroll against Sweden,
but we showed that we are dangerous,” he told NOS.
“As for me, I’m feeling a bit of pain but it was manageable today. We’ll see what the reaction will be, but I have confidence I’ll be okay.”
The win puts the Netherlands top of the group ahead of Japan’s match against Tunisia. Koeman’s now go on to play a final group game against Tunisia on Thursday night.
