Frenkie de Jong’s quiet brilliance continues to make him indispensable for Barcelona and the Netherlands
Certain star players prefer to operate from the shadows.
At the World Cup, all the talk is on the battle for the golden boot. We’re captivated by the goal scoring prowess of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe.
For good reason, we watch the game to be entertained by the sparkle of creativity produced by Lamine Yamal and Pedri.
Great teams, however, are held together by the geniuses who rarely make the headlines.
Sergio Busquets was that guy during the last era of Barcelona greatness. Casual fans of the game struggled to appreciate such a player. For a while now, that unsung hero has been Frenkie de Jong. Going forward, I think Hansi Flick will have a hard time finding a better midfield option.
At this World Cup, the Netherlands are proving to be one of the strongest teams in the tournament.
Led by none other than Ronald Koeman, the Flying Dutchmen are real contenders heading into the knockout round.
It’s not because they have the best all around talent. For that, you would look at France, Spain, or England. It’s because they have tactically intelligent players like Frenkie who make them a handful for any opponent to deal with.
That’s the Netherlands stereotype in many ways. High IQ players who were developed the right way, and can adapt to changing circumstances on the field.
Frenkie’s problem recently has been staying healthy, and at this World Cup, he is certainly playing through the pain. When’s he’s fully fit, however, no matter who his coach is, he is a difficult player to drop.
And yet, his name always seems to come up in the summer when it comes to players Barcelona could live without. Luckily, Flick’s influence at the club, and opinion of Frenkie has been decisive.
That being said, even the coach has shown signs of considering whether Gavi or Marc Bernal are ready to take over alongside Pedri in the double pivot.
This World Cup has been a bit of a reality check.
For tactical reasons, Luis de la Fuente opted to not use Gavi in a game that was tailor made for him against a bruising Uruguay team. Marc Bernal isn’t even on the Spanish roster.
Meanwhile, Frenkie continues to fly under the radar.
When push comes to shove, I’d expect him to reclaim his position in Flick’s starting eleven as well.
Frenkie de Jong was made for Barcelona. He may not be flashy, but his presence always makes the team stronger.
For now, he is still irreplaceable.
If Barcelona think there are better options out in the football wilderness, I hope they think twice.
Frenkie de Jong is the type of player you forget about from time to time, and like Busquets, that’s precisely what makes him so good.
When he’s not around, however, his absence is felt.
If the Netherlands make a deep run at the tournament, the MVP won’t show up in the stats sheet, and that’s exactly how he likes it.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
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