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Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong has spoken openly about his deep admiration for Lionel Messi, calling the Argentine legend “the perfect footballer”. The Barcelona star reflected on his childhood memories of watching Messi thrive under Pep Guardiola, and described how truly special it felt to eventually share the pitch with his idol during their time together at Camp Nou.

A lifelong connection with the game

Speaking to Dutch media outlet NOS after the Netherlands’ win over Sweden at the World Cup, De Jong looked back on his football journey. The Dutch national team currently lead Group F with four points, following a 2-2 draw against Japan and a commanding 5-1 victory over Sweden.

Despite the constant pressure at the highest level, the midfielder insists that his love for football remains as strong as ever. “It’s still my hobby, even though it’s my job,” he said. “I enjoy playing football so much and can completely lose myself in it, it gives me so much joy. Of course, there’s much more at stake now than when you’re just playing with your friends on the playground. But the feeling when you start playing is still almost the same.”

Respect for the Argentine maestro

The discussion soon turned to De Jong’s admiration for Messi, who recently delivered a stellar World Cup performance, scoring a brilliant hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 triumph over Algeria.

Having grown up watching Barcelona dominate world football, De Jong admitted that getting the chance to play alongside Messi at Camp Nou was a dream come true. He explained: “To me, Messi is simply the perfect footballer. He’s obviously a completely different player from me, but I’ve watched him more than anyone else. I used to watch a lot of Barcelona matches during Guardiola’s era. That’s the football I’ve enjoyed the most. There were players from that team whom I admired as a fan, and later, I had the privilege to play with them. That’s something truly special for me.”

Pursuing glory on the world stage

Shifting focus to his international ambitions, De Jong expressed his determination to help the Netherlands lift the World Cup trophy. While Argentina seek to defend their crown after their 2022 triumph in Qatar, the Dutch are equally motivated to go all the way.

Confident about his team’s potential, De Jong said: “I think everyone dreams of it, and so do I. I’ve envisioned that dream several times. Playing in major tournaments for your national team, especially the World Cup, is the most remarkable thing for any footballer. The objective is to win, and that’s what we play for. I believe we have a team capable of achieving that goal.”

Looking ahead

The Netherlands now prepare to face Tunisia in their final Group F fixture, aiming to secure top spot and maintain their strong run in the competition. Meanwhile, Messi and Argentina will take on Austria and then Jordan, hoping to continue their excellent form in Group J.