“I had to select him”: National team boss explains why United star’s resurgence made him impossible to ignore

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has been called up to the national squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Dutch defender joined the Red Devils from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024 and had a mixed debut season. However, De Ligt has come into his own this term and has been a constant at the back for Ruben Amorim. An Old Trafford resurgence De Ligt has played every minute of every game in the Premier League and has been among the best in his position in the league this campaign. Matthijs de Ligt Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionTotalGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League111–––990′ EFL Cup1––––45′ Total121–––1,035′ Source: TransfermarktThe Dutch defender has been a leader at the back for the Premier League giants, flourishing in the central role in the back three. De Ligt has also switched effortlessly to the right centre-back position when required. The Dutchman even scored a last-minute equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, helping to preserve his team’s recent unbeaten run. Koeman outlines reason for De Ligt selection De Ligt was in the Netherlands squad for the September internationals, but managed just two minutes of action. The Dutch defender, however, missed out on the national team squad for the October qualifiers. Manager Ronald Koeman issued a statement on his decision, insisting that it was a difficult choice to leave the United man out. However, De Ligt’s recent form has forced the Oranje boss to reconsider, and the player has now deservedly earned a place in the squad for the upcoming games. Speaking recently, as cited by Sportnieuws, Koeman said: “I thought I had to select him based on what he shows. He has had a difficult period. The club is now also more calm and they are also performing better.” “I also sat with him sometimes that I said that he didn’t look confident in his game. I think that’s much better now. His position at the club will always be important for a player. I thought I had to take him back in.” The former Barcelona manager also insisted that playing time has no bearing on his decision to call up players to the national squad. “That’s partly true, but I’m not so consistent about that. In the end, percentages don’t matter much to me. Nathan Aké is also someone who does not reach 50% of the matches, but is in this group. You determine it per selection player.” De Ligt has all the hallmarks of a United great and has already made 54 appearances for the Red Devils to date. Matthijs de Ligt’s game by numbers vs. Spurs: 86% pass accuracy 67% ground duels won67% aerial duels won6 clearances 3 ball recoveries 1 shot 1 goal Colossal. 🧱 pic.twitter.com/0zw4cIRXoq — Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) November 8, 2025 Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.