Willem van Hanegem does not understand the call for a return of Luuk de Jong to the Dutch national team. Earlier this month, the PSV striker scored a hat-trick against Excelsior (3-1), after which he was again linked to a return to the Dutch team.

De Jong has already scored 23 goals and 10 assists in 29 official matches this season. He thanked the Dutch national team last year, but with the European Championship in Germany just around the corner, a discussion has started again about a possible return.

“De Jong no longer wanted to play for the Oranje and of course he can decide that himself,” Van Hanegem writes in his column for the Dutch newspaper. Algemeen Dagblad. “But now that he has scored a few goals and Memphis Depay has never been really fit for a long time, according to the experts, Ronald Koeman should go to Eindhoven on his knees to ask De Jong if he would like to change his decision.”

Van Hanegem finds it strange that the discussion about De Jong has started again. “He simply said: good luck with the Ronald Koeman qualifying series, but please don't call me again. Now that we have received the ticket for the European Championships, he might think differently. If that is the case, that is a shame.”

The Curve believes that Koeman should only make an exception for outside category players. “That is of course not Luuk de Jong at all. He is no better than Wout Weghorst. He sometimes acts crazy or, rather, a bit exaggerated, but he was always there. He deserved his place in qualifying.”

If Van Hanegem were in the shoes of national coach Koeman, he would call up Joshua Zirkzee for the 2024 European Championship. “He really shows great things in Serie A. And maybe Memphis will come back fit again. But De Jong, that's just a pass. He will win the national title with PSV. And if PSV wins the cup match in De Kuip on Wednesday, they will also win the TOTO KNVB Cup in Eindhoven.”

More sports news