Matthijs de Ligt's Road to Recovery: Back in Training with Manchester United
Matthijs de Ligt is finally edging back towards the stage he has been missing for almost a year.
The Manchester United centre-back has not played competitive football since November 2025, his season – and then his World Cup dream – wrecked by a stubborn back injury that refused to heal. What began as a lay-off turned into a saga: six months of conservative treatment, endless gym work, and still no solution.
In the end, the defender had to surrender to the scalpel. Surgery in May drew a line under any hope of making the 2026 World Cup and forced him into a different kind of battle – one fought in rehab rooms rather than stadiums.
Carrington grind, World Cup gone
De Ligt did not hide how hard that decision hit him. On social media, he admitted that after half a year of trying to return without an operation, “surgery was the only option left,” and he voiced his frustration at being unable to help United or represent his country on the biggest stage.
The World Cup moved on without him. His work stayed hidden at Carrington.
Now, that grind is finally starting to show on the grass. Back in full training at Manchester United’s base, the 25-year-old is making clear physical progress, with club medical staff expecting him to be available for selection once the current international break is over.
For United, it could not come at a better time. For De Ligt, it feels like the end of a long tunnel.
Xavi keeps the Oranje door wide open
His absence has not pushed him out of the national-team picture. Far from it.
Under new Netherlands boss Xavi, De Ligt remains firmly in the plans. Speaking before a demanding Nations League stretch against Germany, Serbia and Greece, the Barcelona icon made it clear he is tracking the defender’s comeback closely.
“Yes, we’re in touch with him and Manchester United,” Xavi 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.”
That wasn’t a passing comment. Xavi doubled down on De Ligt’s status in the Oranje hierarchy.
“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.”
The message is blunt: get fit, and the door is open.
Carrick waits for his defensive pillar
Back in Manchester, Michael Carrick is just as eager.
United’s manager is juggling injuries across his squad and watched his side draw 1-1 with Fulham recently, a result that underlined how much a fully fit De Ligt could change the look of his backline.
“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,” Carrick said after that game, hinting at reinforcements on the horizon.
United return to Premier League action against Tottenham Hotspur on October 10. Carrick has stopped short of promising De Ligt will feature against Spurs, but the defender’s return to team training suggests his comeback is no longer a distant prospect. It is close. One strong week, one good session, one green light from the medical staff – that might be all it takes.
If he can prove his match sharpness in the coming weeks, De Ligt walks straight back into United’s defensive unit. He offers leadership, aerial dominance, and a calm presence that this side has badly missed.
And if his club form clicks quickly, the knock-on effect is obvious: his name goes straight back into Xavi’s next Netherlands squad discussion, not as a nostalgic pick, but as a central figure for what comes next.
