From potential star to World Cup dream: Tahith Chong's journey

Tahith Chong – does this name remind you of anything? If you're a true Bundesliga fan or a fan of Werder Bremen, you've probably noticed. The 26-year-old spent half a year with Werder Bremen between August 2020 and January 2021. Five years later, Chong will face the German national team and Curaçao at the World Cup tonight at 7pm.

But in reality, he should have been the successor to Arjen Robben, playing for the Netherlands at the World Cup. It may sound strange, but on paper, this statement is not strange. Curaçao has belonged to the Netherlands since the colonial period, and although since 2010 it has become an autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, all residents have Dutch citizenship.

However, that does not mean that Chong automatically becomes Robben's successor. The problem lies in his football talent. Or rather, talent that was once considered excellent. When Chong joined Werder Bremen on loan in 2020, he still carried with him the reputation of a promising player. Trained at Feyenoord Rotterdam's youth system, this midfielder is famous for his dribbling and finishing ability, as well as cutting into the middle from the wing like Robben did. He joined Manchester United when he was just 16 years old.

While the Dutch media had long chosen Chong as Robben's successor, things initially went smoothly for him at the Red Devils. Despite suffering a serious knee injury soon after his move, the midfielder quickly became a key player in United's Under-18 team and from the 2017/18 season he has played increasingly for the Under-23 team. United even awarded Chong the 'Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year' award for the club's best young player of the season. Previous winners include Ryan Giggs and Marcus Rashford.


However, in contrast to Giggs and Rashford, Chong had not yet become a United star in his mid-20s. "I always felt like a free soul," the 26-year-old told 'Deichstube' upon his arrival at Werder Bremen. Perhaps this is Chong's biggest problem. Coaches have repeatedly criticized him for lacking tactical understanding. Too many mistakes under pressure and a lack of physical strength have caused huge frustration both in England and at Werder.

Once considered a prodigy and Robben's future, Chong now "only" plays in the English First Division. After tearing his meniscus at the beginning of the season, he only had brief minutes for Sheffield United this past season. In 21 matches, Tahith Chong recorded one assist and no goals. Maybe he will score for “The Blue Wave” at the World Cup? In 6 appearances for his homeland, Chong scored three goals. Most recently, in the 1-4 friendly loss to Scotland at the end of May. Here, he seemed to bring exactly the freedom the team needed.

Playing for Curaçao means a lot to this player, as he told 'FIFA.com'. "It really feels like home. Every summer and almost every vacation, I return. When the opportunity arose, the decision was clear: go where you feel at home." Just a year ago, Chong decided on Curaçao. Before that, this once-hopeful player still hoped to receive a call from Oranje. However, at the Blue Wave team, Chong is still a star only because he has the second highest market value on the team (3.5 million euros). According to 'Transfermarkt.de', only PSV defender Armando Obispo has a higher value (4 million euros). He is the only player born in Curaçao. That's where he learned to play football after the 2006 World Cup. "I watched the final between Italy and France with Zinédine Zidane's header. At that time I supported France – I still don't know why – and I cried after the match. Then I told my father: I will play football."

Twenty years later, Tahith Chong is actually playing at a World Cup in North America. Who knows what else awaits this talented Curaçao player?