WORLD CUP finalist Nigel De Jong will join ITV’s studio team for this summer’s European Championships.
The 36-year-old midfielder was a beaten World Cup finalist with the Netherlands in 2010, and also finished third in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game
He’s set to appear as an ITV pundit for Euro 2020 alongside the likes of Gary Neville, Ian Wright, Eni Aluko, Patrick Vieira and Ashley Cole to provide expert analysis of this summer’s fixtures.
De Jong is also a Premier League and FA Cup winner with Manchester City after spending three years at the Etihad between 2009 and 2012.
He was part of the City side that won the FA Cup in 2011, and the Premier League a year later.
The midfielder still plies his trade in the Qatar second division, anchoring the midfield for Al Shahania.
Who has Nigel de Jong played for?
- 2002-2006 – Ajax (96 apps)
- 2006-2009 – Hamburger SV (66 apps)
- 2009-2012 – Manchester City (104 apps)
- 2012-2016 – AC Milan (79 apps)
- 2016 – LA Galaxy (18 apps)
- 2016-2018 – Galatasary (18 apps)
- 2018 – Mainz (11 apps)
- 2018-2019 – Al Ahli (21 apps)
- 2019 – Al-Shahania (14 apps)
- 2004-2015 – Netherlands (81 apps)
De Jong famously was not sent off for this Kung-Fu kick style challenge on Xabi Alonso in the 2010 World Cup final against Spain, which the Netherlands lost in extra time thanks to an Andres Iniesta winner.
English referee Howard Webb was the man in charge that night, and since the final has admitted he should have given de Jong his marching orders, saying:
“I have often said since then that the challenge of Nigel de Jong should have
been punished with a red card. But I did not have a perfect viewing angle.
“I did not clearly see the point of impact. I knew that the foot was high,
that a sending-off was an option.
“But we had played for 25 minutes in the most important game of our lives, and I was not willing to take that risk. With hindsight, yes, I would change the decision.
Euro 2020 is set to kick off on June 11 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome as Turkey take on Italy in Group A.
The first game to be shown live by ITV is the following day – a Group B clash between Belgium and Russia that kicks off at 8pm.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
