Jurrien Timber has admitted the demands of his return to competitive football are already being felt after he played 78 minutes for the Netherlands against Greece.
The Arsenal defender started at centre-back as the Dutch recovered from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in Thessaloniki, extending his run of minutes after a lengthy absence.
Timber had only recently returned to the Netherlands squad after beginning the international camp on an individual programme. He sat out the 1-1 draw with Germany before coming off the bench for the final 10 minutes of the 2-1 win over Serbia in Belgrade.
His appearance against Greece was his longest outing since returning to action, but Timber acknowledged afterwards that he still has work to do.
“I am tired. I've been out for a while, of course, but I need to regain my rhythm and get fit,” he told Vandaag Inside.
Football London reported that the 25-year-old also gave himself a critical assessment of his display as the Netherlands struggled through a poor first half before recovering after the interval.
“It wasn't good. Very sloppy, we lost a lot of duels. But I look at myself first. Ultimately, I'm happy that we came back, but the first half wasn't good enough.”
Timber's return has particular significance after the injury setbacks that disrupted his recent career. He was forced to withdraw from the Netherlands' World Cup squad less than a week before their opening match against Japan in Dallas.
There was a more positive milestone in Greece, with Timber starting alongside his twin brother Quinten Timber. The Crystal Palace midfielder and his brother became the first brothers to start together for the Netherlands since Frank and Ronald de Boer did so in February 2002.
The moment had a personal significance that went beyond the result.
“The ultimate dream was to stand on the pitch together, but that moment with the national anthem was also very special.
“That wasn't intentional, but apparently he was standing at the front too, and then suddenly we were standing next to each other.”
Timber will now look to build further match fitness when the Netherlands face Serbia in Eindhoven in their final fixture of the extended international break.
For the Arsenal defender, the priority is straightforward: turn his return into a sustained run of football after so much time away. The Greece appearance was another step towards that goal, even if the physical demands of his comeback remain clear. He will need further minutes before judging his return is complete.