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The Argentine coach expects a “beautiful game” between his team and the Netherlands; the victor will face either Brazil or Croatia in the semifinals.

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Who: Netherlands vs. Argentina
Where: Qatar’s Lusail Stadium in Lusail

When: 10 p.m. on Friday, December 9, 2022 (19:00 GMT)

The coach of Argentina has called the matchup between his team and the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinal on Friday a “beautiful game.”

At the 89,000-seat Lusail Stadium, two of the greatest teams in football history will square off after Lionel Scaloni’s team defeated Australia 2-1 in the round of 16 and seasoned rival Louis van Gaal’s Dutch team defeated the United States 3-1.

“With two legendary teams, it will be a fantastic game. We hope it’s us who advance but unfortunately, one team must lose, Argentina’s Scaloni told reporters on Sunday.

“Like all of them, we are up against a tough opponent, but we hope to succeed. They may not be as successful as previous Dutch teams, but they are quite clear in what they do.

The challenge at hand was expressed in a similar manner on Sunday by Lionel Messi, the captain, and icon of Argentina.

A day after scoring against Australia in his 1,000th career appearance, he observed, “It’s going to be hard-fought; they have excellent players and a terrific coach.” The World Cup quarterfinals are here, and if the tournament has been challenging so far, it has become even more so now.

Game after game, the 35-year-impact old’s in Qatar has increased. Messi has now scored three goals, putting Argentina three victories away from a third World Cup championship.

As the tournament progressed, Messi’s increasingly stellar performances coincided with Argentina’s rising status. Argentina overcame a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in the tournament opener to go on to win three straight matches, scoring five goals while allowing just one.

Depay’s goal serves as a quality warning for the Dutch.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands will be concentrating on stopping Messi in a matchup that will put the small striker against Virgil van Dijk, the Netherlands’ enormous captain and one of the finest center-backs in the world, while also creating issues for Scaloni’s charges.

Ingenious striker Memphis Depay’s return to fitness and forward Cody Gakpo’s sustained strong play, who has scored three goals in Qatar, have boosted Van Gaal’s team.

The Dutch may be willing to again relinquish possession of the ball for protracted periods and threaten on the counterattack, exposing whatever openings La Albiceleste may have left at the back, similar to their approach against the USA.

Since claiming that the Oranje were capable of winning the global championship for the first time, Van Gaal has been under criticism in Qatar.

He has also come under fire for his side’s purported conservatism, considering Dutch sides are often recognized for playing football that is more expansive.

However, the Netherlands’ performance against the USA was a noteworthy example of what they are capable of, with Depay’s first goal—which was the result of a magnificent 21-pass series—serving as a stark reminder of their excellence.

On Wednesday, Van Dijk asserted that his side has the drive and ambition to succeed in Qatar.

He told reporters, “We just want to go out there and show our talent, show our team spirit, show our unity, and maybe proceed to the next level.

We are aware that victory is three games away, he continued. “We want to give it our best on the field, play well, and maybe succeed. And now that we have the chance, let’s hope we take advantage of it and succeed.

The victor of the match on Friday will go on to play either Croatia or Brazil.