Xavi: De Jong's return gives the Netherlands a strong boost in the Nations League

Xavi Hernandez said on Monday that Frenkie de Jong's return to the Netherlands represents a strong boost in the team's quest to top its group in the European Nations League and qualify for the quarter-finals next year.

The midfielder, who suffered from recurring injuries, last played for his country at this year's World Cup. He missed the four matches in the Nations League, in which the Dutch team collected 8 points, sharing the lead in Group Two with Greece.

De Jong has always been the most prominent player on the team, and Xavi said he expects De Jong to play a leadership role again in the Dutch national team's match against its Greek guest on Friday, as well as the confrontation that will be held outside its home country against Germany.

Xavi, who trained De Jong in Barcelona from 2021 to 2024, confirmed: “He knows our vision and ideas, and he must have an important role with us on the field. “I want to see his personality. He is one of the team’s leaders and has a lot of experience.”

De Jong (29 years old) is expected to return to the playmaker role that Joey Firman played in the Netherlands' two-legged win over Serbia and the 2-2 draw in Greece.

“All players can play together, especially the good ones,” Xavi explained. “Joey is performing great in Dortmund, and he performed excellently for us.”

He added: “They said in Spain that Iniesta and I cannot play together because we are very similar in our style and approach. Can you imagine that?

He continued: “Frenkie will not be a new discovery for me, as he is a high-class player. He can play in any position. He played full-back for a few minutes yesterday (in Barcelona's win over Atletico Madrid). He is a high-class player.”

The two top teams in the group qualify for the quarter-finals next March. A victory over Greece at the Johan Cruyff Stadium will guarantee the Netherlands a place in this stage.

Xavi, who took over as coach of the Netherlands after the World Cup, continued: “This is the next goal, and after that we will think about other goals, but the first goal is to qualify for the quarter-finals. We performed well recently. We are confident of our rise.”

Vice President of the Asian Football Confederation, Hashem Haider, told Agence France-Presse, on Monday, that Gianni Infantino’s chances of retaining the position of President of the International Federation in March 2027 are “decided.”

Infantino, seeking re-election for a fourth and final term as FIFA president, faced sharp criticism and calls for his resignation following his canceled plan to sell World Cup rights. But the Swiss-Italian-Lebanese is now in a strong position to secure his re-election after the Asian Football Confederation last month endorsed the fifty-six-year-old’s candidacy.

Infantino had said earlier that he had the support of the “overwhelming majority” of the member associations, rejecting calls for his departure. Especially from the European Union. Despite the honorary president of the Japanese Federation, Kozo Tashima, on Thursday running to compete with Infantino, Haider, who also heads the Lebanese Football Association, said on the sidelines of Infantino’s opening of a stadium in the town of Chanet in Mount Lebanon (east): “His (Infantino) chances are decided,” adding: “We have declared clearly and categorically that we support Infantino.”

While Infantino refused to speak to the media, Haider continued: “Tashima can get some votes, but it is difficult for him to be able to compete, because the presidency of the International Federation needs relations with all parts of the globe, and it is difficult to achieve that.”

He continued: “If I were Asian, I might get some Asian and African votes, but it is difficult to reach South and North America and elsewhere, with all my love for my friend Kozo Tashima.”

Japanese newspaper Sports Nippon quoted Tashima on Sunday: “At this stage, I think my chances of winning are between 20 percent and 30 percent, but as the campaign progresses I want my self-confidence to rise to 40 percent or 50 percent.” “I really want to change FIFA.”