The captains of Argentina and the Netherlands will face off in the quarterfinals of the World Cup
The Netherlands and Argentina called the first match of the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Qatar. The teams will face off next Friday at 16:00 (Brasilia time) at the Estádio Lusail. The match repeats the semi-final of the 2014 World Cup, played in Brazil, won by the Argentines after penalties.
The confrontation is also special to put two of the best players in the world face to face. Captains of their respective national teams, Lionel Messi will once again face defender Virgil van Dijk, in a duel between the best in each of his current positions.
DIFFERENT TIMES
Both Lionel Messi’s and Van Dijk’s performances in their seasons in European football were reflected in their individual performances at the World Cup. While the Argentinian had a great season at PSG, the Dutchman didn’t play well for Liverpool.
In the current season, Messi has scored 12 goals in 19 appearances for the French club. Van Dijk, in turn, has conceded 17 goals in Liverpool matches and scored on one occasion in 2022-23.
FACE TO FACE
Messi and Van Dijk have only met on two occasions, in club matches. He was in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in 2018-19 when Barcelona and Liverpool battled for a place in the decider of the tournament. In the first leg, Messi’s Barça won at the Camp Nou, winning 3-0.
However, the story was very different in the return game. At Anfield, Van Dijk’s epic Liverpool comeback in aggregate, beating 4-0 and qualifying for the final in Madrid. In the personal confrontation between the Dutch and Argentines, one victory for each side in two races.
GOLD BALL
The duo also competed for the 2019 Ballon d’Or. In a ‘Top 3’ made up of Lionel Messi, Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo, the Argentinian took the award, with the Dutch defender in second place.
With one victory for each side on the pitch, Messi and Van Dijk have a chance in the match between Argentina and the Netherlands, as well as reaching the semifinals of a World Cup, to break the tie in the personal duel between one of the best forwards against one of the best defenders in football world.
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Source: Terra
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
