Matthijs de Ligt's Road to Recovery: A Comeback Story

Matthijs de Ligt’s year in limbo is almost over. The back injury that stalled his career, cost him a World Cup, and drained his patience is finally loosening its grip.

The Dutch centre-back has not played a competitive minute since November 2025. What began as a persistent back problem turned into a long, grinding saga: six months of conservative treatment, rehab, and false dawns before he accepted the inevitable. Surgery.

That operation in May shut the door on his 2026 World Cup dream. De Ligt admitted as much himself, laying bare the frustration on social media: after half a year of work, surgery was “the only option left.” He could not help Manchester United. He could not help his country. For a player who built his reputation on leadership and reliability, it cut deep.

Now the picture looks very different.

Back on the grass at Carrington, De Ligt is finally moving with purpose again. United’s medical staff are encouraged by his progress and expect him to be available for selection once the current international break ends. The return has been slow, methodical, and at times brutal, but the defender is edging towards the one thing he has missed most: a place on the teamsheet.

Xavi keeps the Oranje door wide open

His absence has not diminished his standing with the national team.

Under their new manager, Barcelona icon Xavi, the Netherlands have begun to reshape themselves for the next cycle. De Ligt remains right at the heart of those plans. Speaking ahead of a demanding run of Nations League fixtures against Germany, Serbia, and Greece, Xavi made it clear he is tracking the centre-back’s recovery closely.

"Yes, we’re in touch with him and Manchester United," the Dutch boss said. "He’s been through a tough time. I’ve also been in touch with Frenkie de Jong and Xavi Simons recently. We need all our players, especially these guys."

The message was firm: De Ligt is not a forgotten man.

"He’s doing well. We are checking how are they. We want to check because we need all the players. In this case, De Ligt is an important player. He could be important in the future."

For a defender who once captained Ajax as a teenager and carried the weight of expectation into every international break, that vote of confidence matters. The Oranje still see him as a pillar, not a question mark.

Carrick’s defence set for a major lift

At club level, his return cannot come soon enough.

Manchester United have felt the strain at the back, and Michael Carrick knows exactly what De Ligt’s presence brings: authority, aerial dominance, and a calmness in big moments. After a recent 1-1 draw with Fulham, the United manager gave a brief but telling update on his walking wounded.

"Amad [Diallo], hopefully by the time we get back, he will have trained with the group. Matta [De Ligt] is working towards his fitness as well."

No promises. No guarantees. But a clear hint that the Dutchman is closing in.

United resume their Premier League campaign with a clash against Tottenham Hotspur on October 10. Carrick has not committed to throwing De Ligt straight into that game, yet the fact he has rejoined team training suggests an appearance is no longer a distant prospect. It is now a matter of match sharpness, not medical clearance.

If he proves his fitness in the coming weeks, United’s backline changes overnight. A defence that has had to patch and improvise suddenly regains one of Europe’s most experienced young centre-backs.

And if that comeback holds, if he strings games together and looks like the old De Ligt again, the knock-on effect is obvious: his name goes straight back into Xavi’s next Netherlands squad discussion, not as a sentimental inclusion, but as a cornerstone for what comes next.