Virgil van Dijk, Dutch players disagree with Louis van Gaal's comments on Messi, World Cup

It’s been months since Argentina won the World Cup, but Lionel Messi‘s success continues to make noise. Louis van Gaal, who coached the Netherlands at Qatar 2022, has recently thrown shade at La Albiceleste’s victory. Virgil van Dijk and his teammates, however, have made it clear they disagree with their former boss.

The Dutch manager had already taken a shot at Messi before their quarterfinal game, which turned out to be arguably the most heated match of the entire tournament.

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Van Gaal’s comments didn’t sit well with Leo, who dedicated one of his goals to the former Barcelona coach that night. Months later, van Gaal suggested that the World Cup was fixed for Messi to lift the trophy.

What did Louis van Gaal say about Messi’s World Cup triumph with Argentina?

“I don’t really want to say much about it. If you see how Argentina gets the goals and how we get the goals and how some of Argentina’s players crossed the line and weren’t punished, then I think it’s all preconceived game,” van Gaal told Dutch outlet NOS. “I mean everything I say by that. That Messi had to become world champion? I think so, yes.”

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Virgil van Dijk, Dutch players react to van Gaal’s comments

“I heard it this morning. He can say what he wants, it is of course his opinion. Everyone can have an opinion. But I don’t agree with him and I don’t share the same opinion,” van Dijk said about van Gaal’s comments in an interview with NOS. “So you and the squad don’t stand behind his words?,” the journsalist asked, to which the Liverpool defender replied, “No.”

Goalkeeper Mark Flekken echoed van Dijk’s sentiments with the same outlet, “We talked about Van Gaal’s comments regarding Messi this morning. If that’s his opinion, then he is allowed to share it. But personally I don’t agree with his opinion.”

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How many times have Argentina won the World Cup?

Argentina have lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy on three occasions (1978, 1986, and 2022).