Dumfries: Ballon d Or ranking is not important, it s more a recognition of my outstanding performance throughout the season

In the 2024-25 season, Inter Milan defender Dumfries performed well and helped the team reach the Champions League final. When he played against Barcelona in the semi-finals, he scored two goals and sent three assists in two rounds. In the Golden Globes, he ranked 25th and became the highest-ranked Dutch player. In an interview with Voetbalzone, Dumfries talked about the Golden Globes ceremony, personal growth and his role in the national team.

About the Golden Globe Ranking

ranking itself is not important to me, it is more like a recognition of my outstanding performance throughout the season.

About the Golden Globe Awards Ceremony

It feels very special to be able to live in the same room with so many world-class stars. What impressed me the most was the flawlessness of the organizational work and everything was in order.

Regarding the high standards for myself, I pay more attention to participation in the game than just goals and assists. Last season, I was very active in the final stages of the game and sometimes became overly conservative, and while it was important to play at critical moments, I thought I could do better when organizing the offense. I wanted to pass the ball more forward, looking for the right triangle fit, and these are the places I need to focus on improving.

About Leadership abilities

I feel like I can motivate my teammates and take the lead in the fierce confrontation of the game, even if the style may not be as ‘Dutch’. This may make a difference in some cases and I hope to continue to improve in this regard.

About using the Argentina national team as a role model

Look at countries like Argentina, they can do whatever it takes to win. We sometimes seem too polite, and I hope it can help the team improve in this regard. For example, in the penalty shootout against Argentina, I tried to give my teammates some extra motivation. This behavior is often criticized in the Netherlands, but it is necessary. Sometimes we need to cross the line a little, or even foul to stop the opponent from attacking. These are things we can learn and apply to stay competitive in top events.

About the 2026 World Cup

I believe we can do it (win the championship). Looking at our roster, we do have a really great team, but we have to prove it on the court. Sometimes luck is important, but we can influence the results through hard work. We will do our best.