De Jong on Xavi era: 'Build something recognizable, then win a prize'

De Jong returns from knee injury after Barcelona's El Clásico win and looks ahead to his first international break under new Netherlands coach Xavi.

Frenkie de Jong made his comeback for Barcelona against Real Madrid on Sunday after a lengthy knee injury layoff, marking the end of a difficult period that began with the Netherlands' World Cup exit to Morocco in the round of 16.

De Jong was among the first to learn that Xavi, his former Barcelona manager with whom he won La Liga in 2023, would become the new Netherlands head coach. "He called me beforehand, it was nice to find out early," De Jong said. "Because we haven't had a foreign coach for so long, I was surprised. But I was happy about it." De Jong missed the first international window under Xavi due to his injury but expects the coach to maintain his attacking principles while offering tactical flexibility.

Now fully fit with no adverse reaction from his knee after the Real Madrid appearance, De Jong is preparing for November's matches against Greece and Germany. He acknowledged the toll the injury took on his family but confirmed there are no issues between Barcelona and the national team over his recovery. Looking ahead to Euro 2028 in Britain and Ireland, De Jong believes the Netherlands can close the gap to Europe's elite: "We need to build something recognizable as a team, and then we can win a trophy."