Maaskant and De Mos demand more from Frenkie de Jong in Oranje

Robert Maaskant and Aad de Mos have called for greater contributions from Frenkie de Jong in the Netherlands national team. Maaskant expressed frustration over Oranje’s predictable style, urging a more forward-thinking approach ahead of the match against Sweden. Maaskant opened in *De Oranjezomer* by stating: "I hope to see a very enthusiastic team. They must also be ready to end the criticism. They need to show more urgency going forward instead of just playing wide all the time. I hope to see that against Sweden. I find them a bit predictable." He specifically targeted De Jong’s recent performance, noting: "Frenkie is one of the players from whom we expect a bit more. Looking at the statistics from the last match, he played just eight forward passes out of seventy. That’s too little for a top player, so you expect more from him."

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Aad de Mos echoed these concerns, arguing that Oranje’s current squad lacks the quality of past generations. "We need to be realistic. In 1974, we had Neeskens, Van Hanegem, and Cruijff. Later came Van Basten, Rijkaard, Gullit, Van der Vaart, Van Persie, and Sneijder. We don’t have that now. We have average players." De Mos also disputed Erik ten Hag’s praise for De Jong, stating: "Frenkie de Jong is not the key midfielder at Barcelona—that’s Pedri. Even without him, they became champions. He has played a lot less. Everything is too static, with too many back passes. That’s all accepted, but it shouldn’t be."

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The criticism comes as Oranje prepares for their upcoming fixture against Sweden, with Maaskant hoping for a more dynamic display. The discussion was featured in the latest *Studio Oranje* broadcast, which also covered Curaçao and debutant Deveron Fonville ahead of the World Cup.