De Young: Exclusion from the Champions League is more severe than the loss of the European Nations

World football

Ferenc de Jong, the Dutch star of the Netherlands, has said that the elimination of the Champions League this season is more severe than the Netherlands' loss to Portugal in the final of the European Nations Cups.

Portugal were crowned European champions on Sunday evening, after beating the Netherlands 1-0 in the final at the Dragao stadium.

"The most disappointing moment for me is the elimination of the Champions League in the semi-final against Tottenham, even more than the loss against Portugal," de Jong said in remarks published by the Catalan daily Sport.

"It was a difficult season, but it ended well," he said. "Now I'm just thinking about the leave, and then formally presenting as a Barcelona player, but I do not know exactly when."

De Jong during the award of the best young player in the European Nations

"The final was very difficult, Portugal continued to pressure us, there was no space between the defenders and the midfielders, and it was certainly not my best match."

Dutch Ajax have given up the Champions League final season against Tottenham in the semi-finals.

Frinky de Young won the Young Player of the Year award at the European Nations Championship.