ANPLuuk de Jong
NOS Voetbal•vandaag, 12:49
Luuk de Jong will not go with the Dutch national team to the European Championships in Germany next summer. De Jong retired as an international player last year, but the in-form PSV striker seemed to have opened the door again this season. National coach Ronald Koeman made it clear today that a return is not possible.
“No, he is not coming,” Koeman said about De Jong during the programme Good morning Eredivisie on ESPN. Due to his strong season at the top of the Premier League, De Jong was again seen as a realistic option for the striker position at the Dutch team.
‘There is no better’
“Luuk de Jong is undisputedly the pinch hitter for the Dutch national team. There is no better one,” said Pierre van Hooijdonk last month in Studio Football. NOS commentator Arno Vermeulen agreed: “He just has to go to the European Championship. He is our best striker, there is no doubt about that.”
Koeman gave ESPN insight into the communication between national coach and striker: “When I became national coach again, Luuk called me. He found it difficult, but indicated that he wanted more time for his family. I thought that was a shame, but that was a decision by Luuk. After that, Luuk left the door open a bit. Then I called him to ask if that was the case.”
De Jong’s answer was clear. “He stands by his decision,” said Koeman. “Then I told him that if he changes his mind, he should call me. We have spoken to each other several times now, but this is a thing of the past. There is no other way.”
De Jong’s form was discussed in Studio Voetbal last month:
Van der Vaart changes his opinion about Luuk de Jong: ‘He’s getting better’
2024-02-04 11:49:28
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