Frenkie de Jong
#21 · Midfielder · age 29
Tactical hinge; deepest of midfield three
86
WC26 rating
- Recent form
- 55
- Career peak
- 67
- League level
- 90
- Competition pedigree
- 98
- International pedigree
- 91
- Longevity
- 61
Independent rating — league strength (Opta-anchored) × competition tier × position-normalized output. Not affiliated with EA or FIFA.
Career by season
Source: transfermarkt · fetched 2026-05-29
De Jong is the hinge of every Dutch buildup pattern: the player Van Dijk looks for first, the player Reijnders and Gravenberch orbit around. Koeman has at times deployed him as a left-sided centre-back in possession to overload the first phase — a wrinkle worth watching against Japan’s high press in particular.
His tournament record is mixed — Euro 2024 saw flashes but also some heavy-legged 90 minutes — and questions persist about whether he is genuinely a No. 6 or a roaming No. 8. Whichever role he plays, the Dutch ceiling moves with him.
Strengths
- Press resistance — escapes pressure in tight spaces with first touch
- Progressive carries from deep to break midfield lines
- Diagonal passing range to the wide forwards
Recent form
Started Barcelona's 2025-26 La Liga title run as the deepest of a midfield three; healthy heading into May camp.
Was rejected by Willem II's academy at age 13 for being too small — they told his father he'd never be a professional footballer.