Former PSV doctor full of praise: “That’s really very well done.”

Nothing seems to indicate that Ruben van Bommel was seriously injured last year. Van Bommel has, in fact, made a strong comeback.

On 21 September 2025, just before the end of the match PSV - Ajax (2-2), disaster struck. The wide winger suffered a severe cruciate ligament injury that kept him sidelined for the rest of the season.

This season Van Bommel has been of great value to Peter Bosz's team and, in the meantime, the left winger is an international for the Netherlands national team. That is also something former PSV doctor Cees-Rein van den Hoogenband sees.

Van den Hoogenband is especially impressed by the recovery of the winger, and also points to former top striker Ruud van Nistelrooij, who in April 2000 suffered a serious injury that kept him out for almost an entire year. ''Ruud van Nistelrooij is a good example of how important it is to consciously take the time to recover. Of course, I was personally responsible for Ruud, who came back very well. That is why I also think it is extremely sensible how Van Bommel was handled. You can see what the result of such a well-built rehabilitation is. That is really very well done. The guy was excellently coached by Egid Kiesouw, and then you see that he has come out of it even stronger'', says the former doctor to Sportnieuws.nl.

Nevertheless, Van den Hoogenband shares a warning. ''He is still in the phase where you have to be careful. He is still very vulnerable. He seems to have enough match rhythm, but I deliberately emphasize seems.''

That is why the former doctor also comes with advice for national coach Xavi Hernandez. ''I'm afraid Van Bommel is going to be used twice now… I hope that Xavi and his medical staff have the sense not to do that. In my time it was much easier. Poor Xavi is of course being held accountable for every result at the moment. You naturally live in a kind of glass house, where you are constantly under fire. That's not easy, but for me the health of the players must always come first,'' concludes Van den Hoogenband.