Former Inter Milan superstar Wesley Sneijder, who recently made headlines with some controversial comments, has now claimed that Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong will become a better leader once Lionel Messi retires.
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In a recent interview, the ex-Inter and Real Madrid playmaker said he could have been as good as Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo if he tried, explaining that he simply did not care as much as they have through their careers.
Speaking about his compatriot De Jong recently, Sneijder made it clear he feels the young midfielder made the right choice in signing for FC Barcelona last year, and believes the 23-year-old will improve further as a leader once Messi hangs up his boots.
"De Jong made the best choice because he understood that his football is perfect for Spain and Barcelona," he told the Daily Mail.
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"(Mattijs) De Ligt chose differently (by joining Juventus), but Frenkie made the perfect decision for his life. De Ligt a different choice, but in my opinion De Jong is forward-looking.
"He did very well to choose Barcelona: it is a club suitable for him. When Messi will stop with football, Frenkie will become even more of a leader."
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De Jong has played 37 times for the Catalan giants so far, contributing to six goals along the way.
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