De Jong Breaks His Silence: “they Told Me I Could Keep Playing”

Frenkie de Jong has finally explained what happened with the knee injury that will keep him out for several months. His version is remarkably clear: after suffering the problem at the World Cup, the Netherlands medical staff told him it was minor, that he could continue playing and that there was no risk of making it worse.

So he played. De Jong says the World Cup was a dream for him and he had no reason to stop after receiving that reassurance. Only after returning to Barcelona and undergoing further tests did he discover that the injury had become significantly more serious than initially expected.

The midfielder is also unhappy with the criticism that followed. He insists his decision to continue was based on the medical information he had been given and wanted to speak publicly because he believes the subsequent narrative has damaged his image.

So De Jong was cleared to play, later discovered the injury was worse, lost several months of football and now finds himself explaining why he trusted the people who told him he could play. Apparently the knee rehabilitation wasn’t quite enough work on its own.