Credit: Twitter
Netherlands head coach Louis Van Gaal has recently stated that he found Lionel Messi’s weakness as the Dutch face Argentina in the quarterfinal of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The Argentine team took down Australia in the Round of 16 while the Netherlands defeated the USA to clinch the quarterfinal spot.
While talking in a press conference ahead of the quarterfinal game, Van Gaal pointed out that Lionel Messi doesn’t put in enough effort when Argentina doesn’t have possession. Hence the Dutch have an opportunity to create chances in the game.
The former Manchester United manager said, "Messi is the most dangerous creative player, he is able to create a lot and to score goals himself. But when they lose the ball he doesn't participate much, this gives us chances."
Van Gaal also talked about how the Brazilian team plays a similar style of football to the Netherlands. He said, "I also saw a piece of Brazil yesterday, they actually play the same football as the Dutch national team. They play from a compact defence and switch very quickly."
Van Gaal then expressed criticism towards the Dutch media which tends to overhype the Brazilian team, especially during Brazil’s 4-1 win over South Korea. He also stated that the Oranje scored a better goal in comparison to Brazil and was the best goal scored in the tournament so far.
He said, "The strange thing is that I then read in the media - from my friends - that it was sparkling football, while we also did that. We also scored that way. the goal was much nicer: that was a team goal. That rises above everything. That is the best moment of this World Cup. Twenty times overplayed at high speed, it was really a super goal."
The Netherlands and Argentina last played in the 2014 World Cup semi-final where Leo Messi’s men took the win in penalties. Before that game, the two teams had played each thrice, where the Dutch won twice while Argentina registered a 3-1 win in the final of the 1978 World Cup.