FC Barcelona’s ‘ghost’ star de Jong attacked by Dutch legend

Dutch national team player and AC Milan legend Ruud Gullit has hit out at fellow countryman and FC Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong, demanding that the playmaker advance his career ahead of the European Championships.

De Jong continues to divide opinion in his homeland, in Spain and elsewhere. Since winning the Champions League’s Best Midfielder award in 2018/2019 for his performances in an Ajax shirt during an improbable run to the competition’s semi-finals, the 27-year-old has failed to thrive at Barca.

Despite showing signs of undoubted potential, De Jong was denied further success on the continent and was repeatedly linked with transfers away from Catalonia.

This summer will be no exception, as we have a break from club football and the Euros dictate the fixture list. De Jong is expected to play for his country after recovering from an injury that ended a title-less season at Barca.

As part of the coverage ahead of the tournament he won with his country in 1988, Gullit gave de Jong some advice.

“I’m going to say something to Frenkie,” Gullit said on Ziggo Sport. “I started as a right winger at Feyenoord, but then Johan Cruyff said to me: ‘Ruud, you have to improve your teammates.’ I never understood that. But do you know why he told me that? Because you always play well when you improve your teammates.”

Gullit said that De Jong was playing “badly” and was not “at the level” he was capable of.

“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,” Gullit demanded.

It is not the first time that De Jong has come under criticism this year.

On the same channel, Rafael Van der Vaart, during his coverage of the Champions League, said that De Jong played like a “postman” against Napoli.

“Frenkie de Jong plays football like a postman,” said Van der Vaart.

“He takes too long to pass the ball forward and instead he runs on and gets it to his teammate.

“Once you’re away from your opponent, you have to keep the ball moving and pass it!” advised the former Real Madrid star.