“Over the years, I’ve shared the pitch with many incredible players, but when
we faced Barcelona, there was one man who truly stood out Frenkie de Jong. Seeing him play live was on a completely different level from watching him on TV. The way he moved, the way he read the game… it was like he was always two or three steps ahead of everyone else.
What impressed me the most was how he simply refused to lose the ball. No matter the pressure, no matter how many players closed in on him, Frenkie found a way to keep possession whether through a clever turn, a perfectly weighted pass, or that smooth stride of his that seemed to carry him effortlessly out of danger.
In duels, he was deceptively strong. You’d expect to push him off balance, but instead, you’d find yourself on the losing end, chasing after him as he carried the ball forward. And it wasn’t just about individual skill he dictated the rhythm of the entire game from midfield. Every attack seemed to start from him, every transition flowed through him. For those 90 minutes, it felt as if he had the match in the palm of his hand. That kind of control is rare, and seeing it up close made me truly appreciate just how special a player he is.”
