Barcelona World Cup spotlight: Frenkie de Jong’s Netherlands run into resolute Japan | OneFootball

It was the second successive day at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to feature a Barcelona player, and this time it was captain Frenkie de Jong playing for the Netherlands against Japan.

When the group-stage fixtures were drawn up, many fans circled this as one of the most exciting matchups of the tournament.

While the first half left a lot to be desired in terms of overall quality, both teams stepped up their levels in the second and scored two goals apiece, with the game ending in a 2-2 draw.

From the first minute, the tactical setup from two of the better teams in the group looked a bit cagey. Neither manager sent their team out to win. Instead, they wanted to ensure they would not lose.

Many times in tournaments such as the World Cup, this is one of the major drawbacks of a big group-stage clash appearing on the very first matchday.

Both the Netherlands and Japan knew they could afford a draw on the night, and both managers would have been more than happy with how the game finished.

Frenkie de Jong, for his part, had a very decent outing, and here is how the Barça midfielder fared.

Frenkie de Jong vs Japan

The Barcelona midfielder started for the Netherlands in their Group F opener against Japan, a game that had long spells of control, flashes of quality and, ultimately, a frustrating 2-2 draw.

Frenkie de Jong impressed in draw vs Japan. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images)

The Netherlands had 60 percent possession, attempted 525 passes, made 79 final-third entries and registered 32 touches inside the Japanese box.

On paper, it was the kind of game they should have managed better. Frenkie was central to that control.

He finished with 69 accurate passes and three successful tackles, numbers that neatly sum up the balance of his performance: calm on the ball, clean in possession and alert enough defensively to stop transitions before they became dangerous.

In recent times, this has become a very familiar version of Frenkie. He did not need to dominate the highlights to influence the game.

He gave the Netherlands rhythm, moved the ball away from pressure and helped them keep Japan pinned back for long stretches.

The issue was not Frenkie. The issue was that Dutch control did not become Dutch authority, and that was mostly down to the tactical setup itself.

The Netherlands led twice through Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville, but Japan stayed alive, grew stronger after the break and punished them late through Daichi Kamada.

Thus, De Jong gave his team exactly what he is usually asked to provide, but the game still slipped away because of issues around him.

There was no goal or assist, and it was not a spectacular display in the traditional sense. It was still a quietly strong World Cup opener from a midfielder who remains one of the best tempo-setters in the game.

From a Barça perspective, he also looked back to full fitness and played the entire game. He looked sharp and physically ready.

Netherlands fans may want a better scoreline from their team in the upcoming games, but as far as Frenkie goes, there is nothing to worry about.

He hardly drops a bad performance in midfield these days, and last night did nothing to suggest otherwise.