Frenkie de Jong

De Jong began his professional career at [[Willem II (football club)|Willem II]] in 2015. He transferred to [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] for a symbolic fee of €1 a year later. The fee was symbolic and offset by a sell-on clause. At Ajax he established himself as one of the best young midfielders in Europe, after winning a domestic double and reaching the Champions League [[2018–19 UEFA Champions League#Semi-finals|semi-finals]]. De Jong won the [[2018–19 Eredivisie|Eredivisie]] and [[2018–19 KNVB Cup|KNVB Cup]], was [[2018–19 Eredivisie#Annual awards|Eredivisie player of the season]], and was an instrumental part of Ajax's first [[UEFA Champions League]] semi-final appearance in [[1996–97 UEFA Champions League|22 years]], in a breakthrough [[2018–19 AFC Ajax season|2018–19 season]].

De Jong began his professional career at [[Willem II (football club)|Willem II]] in 2015. He transferred to [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] for a symbolic fee of €1 a year later. The fee was symbolic and offset by a sell-on clause. At Ajax he established himself as one of the best young midfielders in Europe, after winning a domestic double and reaching the Champions League [[2018–19 UEFA Champions League#Semi-finals|semi-finals]]. De Jong won the [[2018–19 Eredivisie|Eredivisie]] and [[2018–19 KNVB Cup|KNVB Cup]], was [[2018–19 Eredivisie#Annual awards|Eredivisie player of the season]], and was an instrumental part of Ajax's first [[UEFA Champions League]] semi-final appearance in [[1996–97 UEFA Champions League|22 years]], in a breakthrough [[2018–19 AFC Ajax season|2018–19 season]].

During his breakthrough season, De Jong agreed to sign for Barcelona in January 2019, leading him to be signed for the club in July, for a fee worth €75 million. De Jong was selected to the [[FIFPro#FIFA FIFPro Men's World11|2019 FIFA FIFPro World11]] and was one of three Dutch players to feature in it for the first time in five years.

During his breakthrough season, De Jong agreed to sign for Barcelona in January 2019, leading him to be signed for the club in July, for a fee worth €75 million. De Jong was selected to the [[FIFPro#FIFA FIFPro Men's World11|2019 FIFA FIFPro World11]] and was one of three Dutch players to feature in it for the first time in five years. He is also the one of the most underrated midfielders currently.

De Jong made his senior international debut for the Netherlands in September 2018. He became a starter in the inaugural [[2018–19 UEFA Nations League|UEFA Nations League]], in which Netherlands finished [[2019 UEFA Nations League Final|runners-up]]. He also represented the side at [[UEFA Euro 2020]] and the [[2022 FIFA World Cup]].

De Jong made his senior international debut for the Netherlands in September 2018. He became a starter in the inaugural [[2018–19 UEFA Nations League|UEFA Nations League]], in which Netherlands finished [[2019 UEFA Nations League Final|runners-up]]. He also represented the side at [[UEFA Euro 2020]] and the [[2022 FIFA World Cup]].