Frenkie de Jong, emphatic about the Barça match in Miami: “I disagree”

The announcement that the Villarreal-Barça, corresponding to matchday 17 of LaLiga, will be played on December 20 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami continues to raise conflicting opinions. One of the first Barça players to speak out publicly has been Frenkie de Jong, who expressed his strong disagreement during the press conference prior to the match between Netherlands and Malta, a qualifier for the 2026 World Cup. “I don’t like that we are going to play there and I disagree with this,” declared the midfielder, visibly upset with a measure he considers unfair from a sporting perspective. “It’s not fair for the competition. Now we are playing an away game on neutral ground. I don’t like it and I don’t think it’s right for the players,” De Jong insisted, making it clear that beyond commercial interests, the players will be the main affected by the trip and the conditions of the journey.

An historic... and controversial match

The match between Villarreal and Barça will be the first official LaLiga match to be played outside of Spain, a step that the organization justifies as part of its international expansion strategy. However, De Jong does not share that view: “Clubs are going to profit from this, but I disagree with playing a league match in Miami. I understand that other clubs may not agree,” the Dutchman firmly stated. Next to him, the Netherlands coach and former Barça manager, Ronald Koeman, supported his former player and was equally critical: “It makes no sense.” Koeman, aware of the demands of the calendar and the physical burden on players, opined that such decisions distort the competitive spirit of the League.

The position of FC Barcelona

De Jong´s words contrast with the institutional stance of Barça, which has shown full commitment to holding the match in Miami. President Joan Laporta has been one of the main defenders of the initiative, in line with LaLiga and Villarreal. "We are looking forward to meeting all our fans in the United States and we thank LALIGA for the opportunity to connect with one of the key strategic markets for the Club. We have been visiting the country for many years and have always felt the passion that FC Barcelona evokes," Laporta stated. "As a global club, with millions of followers around the world, this opportunity reinforces our commitment to international fans, especially in a key market like the U.S. An official match in a city like Miami, with a large Barça community, will undoubtedly be a great spectacle with two teams competing at the highest level," the Barça president added in a statement released by the club itself.

Ter Stegen and the support of the AFE

In August, Marc-André Ter Stegen was one of the captains who signed the statement issued by the Spanish Footballers´ Association (AFE) regarding the match in Miami between Barça and Villarreal. The organization described the match as a “lack of respect” due to the absence of dialogue and information towards the players. The text was signed by all the captains of the First Division clubs. According to SPORT, among the signatories were Ter Stegen and Gerard Moreno, the two captains and protagonists of the match that will take place in the United States.