Stefan de Vrij vows to stay ready for Oranje after World Cup miss

Central defender Stefan de Vrij, 34, affirmed his continued availability for the Dutch national team after missing the World Cup through injury, speaking after his club Panathinaikos' 1‑3 friendly victory over Ajax. The former Feyenoord, Lazio and Internazionale player emphasized his readiness.

De Vrij has earned 79 caps for the Netherlands, but a small injury forced him to sit out the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He described the situation as “It was difficult. I would have liked to be there. A small injury prevented it. That’s how it goes.” He called the outcome “very disappointing” and lamented how things unfolded.

He added that following the final matches and his children’s schedules was personally hard. “It was personally difficult to keep up with the last games and the children. It was hard to meet those times. It was very heavy not to be there and also very sad for the boys,” he said. The comments reflected his emotional connection to the squad.

When asked whether changes would follow Ronald Koeman’s departure as national coach, de Vrij replied, “I don’t know. I remain always available.” He left open the possibility of future involvement regardless of the new coach’s plans.

De Vrij joined Greek side Panathinaikos this summer after spells with Feyenoord, Lazio and Internazionale. The move marks his first season in Greece, where he hopes to maintain form for potential national team call‑ups. He remains focused on his club duties while staying ready for Oranje.