Netherlands postpone Frenkie de Jong World Cup start decision

The Netherlands national team will decide at the last possible moment whether 29‑year‑old FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong will start in the World Cup group match against Sweden in Houston, scheduled for Saturday 19:00 Dutch time. The decision has been postponed until the final minutes before kickoff. De Jong’s status remains uncertain after a training collision with fellow midfielder Quinten Timber. The impact left De Jong as a doubt for the upcoming game. Timber suffered a mild concussion in the same incident and is ruled out of the match. His injury removes him from the squad for the Sweden fixture.

Frenkie de Jong talks World Cup match against Sweden

Coach Ronald Koeman will have to make the final call on De Jong’s involvement. Koeman’s selection will be confirmed only moments before the whistle. AD reporter Maarten Wijffels explained the approach on Instagram, saying the main question is whether De Jong will play. “The message is that they keep it open as long as possible and only at the last moment see if it works with him,” he wrote.

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The fixture is the second group duel for the Netherlands in the tournament. It marks the team’s next challenge after the opening match.