Confirmed: Frenkie de Jong starts for Netherlands vs Sweden amid discomfort fears | OneFootball

Netherlands will be looking for their first win of the 2026 FIFA World Cup later today as they get set to take on Sweden in their second group game.

With kickoff only a little over an hour away, the Oranje manager, Ronald Koeman, has announced the starting XI that will take the field against Sweden.

Frenkie de Jong starts

And, in what comes as quite a bit of a surprise, Barcelona midfielder and captain Frenkie de Jong starts for the Netherlands.

The Dutch international was declared a doubt for the game by Koeman himself during his press conference late on Friday due to some discomfort in his abdominal region.

“Frenkie is experiencing some discomfort below his abdominal area,” the former Barcelona manager had revealed.

However, it appears that the 29-year-old midfield mainstay has recovered sufficiently enough to not only play in the game but even be included in the starting lineup for the Dutch national team.

Barcelona will be closely monitoring the game and keeping an eye on De Jong’s condition, given that one of their club captains, Raphinha, succumbed to an injury last night.

Meanwhile, one of the Catalans’ summer transfer targets, Micky van de Ven, also features from the start.