The Netherlands will play against Argentina.
This is their sixth meeting at the World Cup. Argentina has won twice (1978 final, 2014 semifinals) and the Netherlands has won twice, (1974 group stage, 2-1 in the 1998 quarterfinal), with a 0-0 draw in the 2006 group stage. The Netherlands’ World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina on Friday will be worth the wait.
“It’s not about me, or the Netherlands, against Messi, it’s about the Netherlands against Argentina,” Van Dijk said at a news conference Wednesday.
“They are a fantastic team with fantastic players, and we are going to have to do well in all departments of the match.”
“There is a hunger, dreams, and a feeling that we really want to get it [the World Cup],” Van Dijk said. “When you are in the quarterfinals, you are only three games from glory… This is our opportunity. But obviously, we have to get past an Argentina side with one of the best players of all time.”
The Netherlands will also be under pressure to have the majority of the 80,000-plus crowd cheering for Argentina, as there were clearly more Argentine and Messi fans than orange-clad Netherlands supporters in orange.