In a major blow to the Netherlands’ hopes at the upcoming European Championship, Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury setback.
The 27-year-old has been struggling with an ankle injury sustained in March, limiting his appearances for his club to just three games since then. Despite being included in Ronald Koeman’s initial Euro 2024 squad, de Jong’s recovery has not progressed as expected, forcing him to withdraw from the competition.
De Jong’s absence will be a significant loss for the Dutch national team, as the talented midfielder has been a key figure for the Oranje, amassing 54 caps and scoring two goals since making his debut in 2018.
The Netherlands, drawn in Group D alongside Poland, France, and Austria, will kick off their Euro 2024 campaign on Sunday against Poland at 2:00 PM BST. Koeman and his side will now have to navigate the challenging group stage without the services of the influential de Jong.
As the Dutch team prepares for the tournament without their midfield maestro, attention will turn to potential replacements and how Koeman will adjust his tactics to compensate for de Jong’s absence.
The news of de Jong’s withdrawal will undoubtedly be a disappointment for Dutch fans, who had been hoping for their star midfielder to play a pivotal role in the team’s pursuit of European glory. However, the focus will now shift to the remaining squad members as they aim to overcome this setback and make a strong impression at Euro 2024.
