Frenkie de Jong was substituted at halftime during the Netherlands’ 7-0 victory over Greece on Friday after experiencing significant back discomfort.
The midfielder, who captained the national team, had been performing well before his withdrawal, according to reporting from Yahoo Sports.
Head coach Xavi Hernandez confirmed that the decision to remove the Barcelona player was precautionary, as the athlete had been managing the issue before the match began.
The coach provided further context regarding the player’s physical state by stating, “He had discomfort in his back. He told me he can’t continue playing. Even before the game, he already had some problems.”
This development was particularly concerning for Barcelona officials given that the midfielder had recently returned to active play, as noted by Barca Universal.
Despite the initial alarm caused by the substitution, the outlook for the player’s immediate future remains optimistic.
Xavi indicated that the injury is not currently considered serious and that the team anticipates his return for the upcoming match against Germany.
Regarding the player’s status for the next fixture, the coach stated, “I think he can play vs Germany on Monday.”
The Netherlands secured a dominant win at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, bolstered by a hat-trick from Tijjani Reijnders and two goals from Jurrien Timber.
The Dutch squad had already established a commanding five-goal lead by the interval, which allowed the coaching staff to manage the second half without relying on the captain to maintain control.
Teun Koopmeiners replaced the midfielder after the break to complete the match.
While the substitution was notable due to the player’s central role in the first-half dominance, the decision appears to be a calculated move to prevent further aggravation of his existing back condition.
The team continues to monitor his progress ahead of the next international competition date.