‘Simply the perfect footballer’ - Messi leaves De Jong in awe

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Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong has opened up about his deep admiration for Lionel Messi, describing the Argentine legend as the "perfect footballer". The Barcelona star reflected on his childhood days watching Messi shine under Pep Guardiola, revealing how incredibly special it felt to eventually share the pitch with his idol during their time together at Camp Nou.

A lifelong passion for the game

Speaking to Dutch outlet NOS following the Netherlands' victory against Sweden at the World Cup, De Jong reflected on his journey. The national side sit top of Group F with four points after drawing 2-2 against Japan and beating Sweden 5-1.

Despite the immense pressure, the midfielder insists his profound passion remains unchanged. "It's still my hobby, even though it's my job," he explained. "I enjoy just playing football so much and I can really immerse myself in it completely, and I feel so much pleasure. Of course, there's a lot more at stake compared to just playing football with your friends in a playground. But the feeling once you start playing football is still almost the same."

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Admiration for an Argentine icon

The conversation naturally shifted to his immense admiration for Messi. The Argentina captain recently delivered a World Cup masterclass, scoring a sensational hat-trick during a 3-0 victory over Algeria.

Having grown up watching Barcelona dominate, De Jong admitted eventually teaming up with the Argentine at Camp Nou was surreal. He said: "For me, Messi is simply the perfect footballer. He's of course a completely different player from me, but I've always watched him more than anyone else. I was always watching a lot of Barcelona matches under Guardiola's leadership. I think that's the football I enjoyed more than any other. There were some players from that time whom I followed and looked up to as a fan, and whom I later got to play alongside. So for me, this is really something special."

Chasing international glory

Turning his attention back to international duties, De Jong discussed his ultimate ambition of lifting the World Cup trophy. While Argentina aim to retain their world crown after winning the 2022 edition in Qatar, the Netherlands are equally determined to challenge for the ultimate prize.

Believing strongly in their capabilities, De Jong stated: "I think everyone dreams of that, and so do I. So yes, I've imagined this dream in front of me a few times. The final tournaments with your national team, and especially the World Cups, are the most standout thing for a football player. The goal is simply to win them, and that's why you participate. I also think we have a team that should have this as its goal."

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What's next for the international stars?

The Netherlands will now prepare to face Tunisia in their final group-stage clash, hoping to secure the top spot in Group F and continue their impressive journey. Meanwhile, Messi and Argentina will take on Austria and then Jordan, looking to maintain their dominant form in Group J.