Overview
- Xavi confirmed on Thursday that Frenkie de Jong will captain the Netherlands for the Nations League matches against Greece and Germany.
- Regular captain Virgil van Dijk is unavailable with physical problems, so Denzel Dumfries will serve as vice‑captain and Cody Gakpo is next in line.
- De Jong returns to the squad after the World Cup break and recent club form, having reached 300 appearances for Barcelona and set to make his 71st Netherlands appearance against Greece.
- Xavi publicly praised De Jong as one of the world's best midfielders and said the player fits his plan to press high and build from the back.
- The Oranje sit top of their group and need positive results to secure a Nations League quarter‑final place while integrating young Eredivisie call‑ups into the squad ahead of Euro 2028 preparation.