De Jong: "Everyone knows I'm a midfielder"

De Jong confirmed he has recovered from injury and clarified he is a midfielder by trade, willing to play defence only temporarily if needed.

Frenkie de Jong spoke to ESPN after joining the Netherlands squad for Nations League matches against Greece and Germany. The Barcelona midfielder confirmed he has fully recovered from injury and feels in good physical condition.

When asked about playing right-back long-term, De Jong was clear: "If the coach asks me to play defence, I play defence. But it won't be like that long-term. Everyone knows I'm a midfielder." He noted that several renowned managers at Ajax and Barcelona, including Ronald Koeman and Xavi, have occasionally deployed him in defensive roles, but stressed such assignments are temporary.

De Jong also addressed criticism of his performances, suggesting the public doesn't fully appreciate his contributions because they don't watch complete matches or rely too heavily on goal and assist statistics. He expressed readiness to assume the captaincy in Virgil van Dijk's absence, though he deferred the final decision to national team coach Xavi Hernández.