{"id":439,"date":"2024-11-14T07:30:04","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T07:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=439"},"modified":"2024-11-14T07:30:04","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T07:30:04","slug":"frenkie-de-jong-on-his-injury-often-i-thought-when-is-this-going-to-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=439","title":{"rendered":"Frenkie de Jong on his injury: “Often I thought: when is this going to end?”"},"content":{"rendered":"
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De Jong has returned to the Dutch national team after more than a year. EFE<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong opened up to ‘NOS’ on his injury, which kept him away from the pitch for an extended amount of time, as he prepares to return to international football after a year of absence.<\/div>\n
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Frenkie de Jong\u00a0is ready to make his\u00a0return to the Dutch national team<\/strong>\u00a0for the upcoming Nations League fixtures\u00a0after\u00a0more than a year of absence<\/strong>. The midfielder has also sent a message of reassurance to Barcelona fans after handing the club an\u00a0injury scare<\/strong>\u00a0in their latest match against Real Sociedad. De Jong\u00a0suffered a setback in the 25th minute of the game but remained on the pitch until half-time.<\/p>\n

“I’m fine, I\u00a0have some pain but I think everything will be fine<\/strong>,” insisted the Dutchman, as he\u00a0feared a relapse<\/strong>\u00a0of the injury that kept him off the pitch for more than five months. De Jong\u00a0underwent\u00a0medical tests with the Netherlands medical staff, which denied any fitness problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am very happy and look forward to the future.\u00a0It’s been a long time since I played for the Dutch national team<\/strong>. It’s a great honour and I’m always\u00a0happy to be here.\u201d said De Jong, as\u00a0the Netherlands\u00a0prepare to face Hungary on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old also\u00a0opened up on his recovery process<\/strong>\u00a0from the ankle injury that prevented him from playing in the Euros during the summer. “It was difficult, it was a very painful injury<\/strong>. I missed many games and the most important thing was the Euros, of course.\u00a0I started playing again. I’m growing back to 100% where I should be in terms of form and physical condition, so at the moment I feel good,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Sometimes I thought: when is this going to end?\u00a0<\/strong>I always had a belief that I would play football again, but the uncertainty regarding recovery was very difficult. Whether I would return the same as I was, I thought about that”, he concluded, as he spoke to ‘NOS’.<\/p>\n