AC Milan legend Ruud Gullit has asked Barcelona and Netherlands star Frenkie de Jong to improve his game before the 2024 European Championship. Gullit said De Jong was not fulfilling his potential and shared a piece of advice that he received from the great Johan Cruyff to inspire him.
Frenkie de Jong Has Not Lived Up To Expectations Since Barcelona Switch
De Jong won the Champions League’s best midfielder award after helping Ajax to the semi-finals in the 2018-19 season. Barcelona signed the Dutch central midfielder in the summer of 2019, splurging €86 million ($93.57 million) for his services. He has shown flashes of brilliance over the last five years but has yet to establish himself as one of the best midfielders on the planet.
Thanks to his global appeal and high market value, he has frequently been linked with a move away from Barcelona. According to reports, Barca are not opposed to selling the 27-year-old this summer, granted they receive a mega offer for the midfielder.
Ruud Gullit Advises De Jong To Up His Game Before EURO 2024
De Jong has gotten a lot of flak for not fulfilling expectations for club and country over the last five seasons. Gullit, who won the European Championship with the Netherlands in 1988, also believes De Jong’s recent performances have been disappointing. In an attempt to inspire him, the ex-Chelsea man has shared a quote from Cruyff, asking him to look to elevate his teammates.
As part of the coverage leading to EURO 2024, Gullit told Ziggo Sport (via Forbes):
“I’ll say something to Frenkie. I started at Feyenoord as a right winger, but then Johan Cruyff told me: ‘Ruud, you have to improve your teammates.’ I never understood it. But do you know why he told me that? Because when you improve your teammates, you always play well.”
Gullit also criticized his 2022 FIFA World Cup performance, claiming the Barcelona midfielder played like a “ghost.”
He added:
“If you look at Frenkie de Jong at the last World Cup, he was like a ghost! He has to take matters into his own hands.”
De Jong has played 54 games for the Netherlands so far, scoring twice and providing six assists. He cut a frustrating figure in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals as Holland lost to Argentina on penalties.
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