"Unbearable" De Jong? "I have the feeling that many don't understand football"

Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong has found himself under fire from critics in his homeland. Now, the Barcelona star has hit back, with Jürgen Klopp also weighing in with a sharp retort against one of the Dutch pundits.

The debate is all too familiar in other countries. For a long time, Toni Kroos was derided as "Querpass-Toni" (Toni, who only passes sideways), despite statistics proving the exact opposite. Now, this discussion has shifted to neighboring Netherlands and is aimed squarely at Frenkie de Jong.

At the heart of the criticism is the central midfielder's alleged lack of risk-taking. However, the 29-year-old, known for his directness, is no longer willing to tolerate the attacks. "I have the feeling that many people don't understand football. They watch it, but, so to speak, they don't grasp it," he stated in an interview with TV channel SBS6. "That's not bad, because everyone can talk about it, but that's the truth."

His words were addressed, among others, to Wim Kieft. The 43-time former Dutch international and 1988 European champion recently claimed that for De Jong, the most important thing is to have the ball himself. Analysts from NOS television even described De Jong's play as "unbearable."

"I constantly hear that I don't play through balls, but that's not true. People just don't watch the game properly," the Barcelona player continued. "It depends on the match, but also on the specific moment. Is someone making a run or not? How are they doing it? You can play that through ball, but then the ball will always go to the goalkeeper." Some people "have difficulty understanding this. Maybe I should sit down and talk to them."

Overall, De Jong considers the criticism from his homeland to be exaggerated. "I think in the Netherlands we could appreciate our players a little more. Of course, there can be criticism. But it's often exaggerated so much that a player is immediately declared weak." Some criticize only "to draw attention to themselves."

Rafael van der Vaart's comment certainly attracted attention. The former Hamburger SV player took aim at captain Virgil van Dijk after the match against Japan. "I have to be honest: I was quite shocked by Van Dijk," said Van der Vaart. The defender failed to intervene convincingly during a Japanese opportunity, turning in the wrong direction. "That's very difficult for him. A bit like a Boeing 747 making a turn," Van der Vaart mocked.

This, in turn, provoked a reaction from Van Dijk's former Liverpool coach, Jürgen Klopp. "I'm not entirely sure if it's worth mentioning Rafael van der Vaart. But if he ever says anything positive about any player, I'll gladly take him seriously again," Klopp told MagentaTV. "You're left with the feeling that he sees something, then he has to phrase it colorfully and attack sharply. But in reality, it doesn't matter at all."