De Jong and Xavi exchange praise in Netherlands

De Jong praised Xavi's tactical approach after returning from injury; the midfielder expects success under the Barcelona manager's new system.

Frenkie de Jong has returned to the Netherlands squad after recovering from his World Cup injury and will be a key player during this international break. The midfielder has already trained under Xavi's direction at Barcelona and observed the new tactical patterns the Catalan coach wants to implement.

De Jong described Xavi's approach as focused on pressing high and building play carefully from the back to create chances. He acknowledged the team still has work to do perfecting the style but expressed optimism about Netherlands' potential ahead of Euro 2028, saying "there is still much room for improvement" but "we have potential."

Xavi also praised De Jong, calling him underrated and describing him as a complete midfielder. "If you ask his teammates, they will say he is the best midfielder," Xavi said. The Netherlands face Greece on November 13 and Germany on November 16 in Nations League fixtures.