Messi resumes World Cup quest as Argentina performs Netherlands

Lionel Messi up towards Virgil van Dijk. The youngest coach on the World Cup taking over the oldest. South America versus Europe. A again catalogue of well-known conferences.

The quarter-final match between Argentina and the Netherlands on Friday has all of the substances of a basic.

And the potential of it being Messi’s remaining sport on soccer’s greatest stage simply provides to the anticipation.

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The seven-time world participant of the yr is three wins away from attaining his final dream, however he has two individuals, specifically, blocking his path.

First, the not inconsiderable body of Van Dijk, who has been one of many world’s greatest defenders over the previous 5 years. If there’s anybody in a position to cease Messi on considered one of his trademark dribbles, it’s the swish Liverpool heart again who combines tempo with an important studying of the sport.

After which there’s Louis van Gaal, the wily tactician who’s 71, has lately undergone profitable remedy for prostate most cancers, and is now plotting to win the World Cup in maybe the ultimate job of his 26-year teaching profession.

Van Gaal, who has lengthy been one of the charismatic characters in soccer, is approaching this job with a variety of enjoyable — even on the eve of one of many greatest matches of his profession.

On Thursday, he was advised that Angel Di Maria, who performs for Argentina, thinks he’s the worst coach he has ever performed beneath following their time collectively at Manchester United in 2014-15.

Van Gaal stated it was a pity Di Maria felt this manner — “he is without doubt one of the few gamers to have stated that” he remarked, “as normally it’s the different approach spherical” — and added he as soon as had a falling-out with Netherlands captain Memphis Depay, who was sitting subsequent to him.

“Now we kiss one another,” Van Gaal stated, leaning towards Depay together with his arms out.

Van Gaal was additionally requested how he was planning to cease Messi — a query for which many coaches down the years have didn’t give you a solution.

“It’d be fairly silly to disclose your personal techniques,” he stated, smiling. “However it’s not that troublesome to give you any reply. You could possibly have give you a solution your self. You might need to block and shut the passing traces. Am I proper, Memphis?”

As for his Argentina counterpart, the 44-year-old Lionel Scaloni is a comparative novice after taking cost of his nation in 2018 for his first senior teaching function. Nonetheless, he has already led Argentina to the Copa America title final yr — the nation’s first main trophy since 1993 — and has managed to regular his group after a surprising loss to Saudi Arabia in its opening group sport.

Whereas Van Gaal was predicting a good match that shall be settled by a “decisive second,” Scaloni stated will probably be a “lovely sport as a result of we’re speaking about two nationwide groups keen to assault however who may also defend.”

It’s set to be a conflict of kinds between two of soccer’s historic powerhouses, with Argentina — a two-time champion — preferring to play a possession sport and the Dutch — 3 times a crushed finalist — now sometimes enjoying on the counterattack beneath Van Gaal.

They’ve met in some high-profile World Cup video games, none larger than the 1978 remaining gained by Argentina on residence soil. There was additionally a last-16 match in 1998, gained by the Netherlands because of a beautiful Ninetieth-minute objective by Dennis Bergkamp, after which a penalty-shoot-out win by Argentina within the semi-finals in 2014.

Messi performed in that sport and was saved comparatively quiet by a group additionally coached by Van Gaal. Eight years later, Messi remains to be Argentina’s star participant and put in his greatest efficiency on this World Cup within the 2-1 win over Australia within the spherical of 16.

“The match is beginning tomorrow for us, for actual,” Van Gaal stated. “Though I don’t need to downplay the significance of the opposite international locations now we have crushed, Argentina after which probably Brazil within the subsequent spherical are totally different international locations than these we performed thus far.”

Scaloni was pressed on the health of midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, who is perhaps a doubt in accordance with some studies within the Argentine media, however gave little away.