Jeremie Frimpong has been surprisingly left out of the Netherlands squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with manager Ronald Koeman opting against selecting the attacking wing-back in his final 26-man list.

The omission has raised eyebrows across Dutch football, especially considering Frimpong had been a regular part of the national team setup since late 2023 whenever fit and available.

Koeman explained that the decision was largely influenced by the defender’s injury struggles throughout the season. According to the Dutch coach, Frimpong’s repeated fitness setbacks made it difficult for him to maintain consistency heading into the tournament.

“It is the pattern of this season that he has been injured regularly,” Koeman said while addressing reporters after announcing the squad.

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The 25-year-old endured a frustrating campaign for Liverpool, disrupted by several hamstring problems, missing a significant number of matches across multiple spells on the sidelines.

His form also dipped compared to previous seasons, with the explosive wing-back struggling to make the same attacking impact that made him one of Europe’s most exciting full-backs.

Instead, Koeman selected other right-sided defensive options including Denzel Dumfries and Jurrien Timber as part of the squad heading to the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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