"Did I wonder whether I would ever fully recover? That crossed my mind sometimes, but I always had the confidence that I would eventually be able to play football again," De Jong told reporters on Wednesday.
"There was uncertainty about how long it would take and whether my ankle would be completely the same as it was before," he added, reflecting on his lengthy recovery process.
"That was tough. I watched all the matches of the Dutch national team but not much of the rest. I did not want to be confronted with it every time," De Jong said, regarding his absence from the Euro 2024.
"I first got a blow on the muscle next to my shin and then another kick, but it was nothing to do with my knee or ankle," he explained, allaying concerns about future injuries.
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