Despite advancing to the semi-finals, the Argentinians were far more nervous than the Dutch after a dramatic quarter-final clash that was decided after the drama of a penalty shoot-out. One of the world’s best players, Lionel Messi, also succumbed to the pressure, and after the match had a verbal conflict with the coach of the Netherlands, Louis van Gaal, and then with some players of the opposing team.Messi was heated in a post-match interview, referring to someone off-camera as “idiot” 🇦🇷😡On the field after the shootout, Messi clashed with Dutch manager Louis van Gaal and assistant coach Edgar Davids. It’s unclear who Messi was talking to in this video. pic.twitter.com/ThRTIvu0wf— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) December 9, 2022 The first meeting took place on the pitch, where Messi scolded the experienced strategist for his pre-match comments, then saw Wout Weghorst in the tunnel during the post-match interview and showed a nervous reaction too.”What are you looking at? Fool!'” Messi said angrily to the man, before conducting an interview in which he was unsatisfied with Van Gaal’s comments prior to this match.Messi beefing with Van Gaal gives me life pic.twitter.com/U5mFZxAVKs— 🏴🇫🇷🇦🇷 (@KieranCFC88) December 10, 2022 After the penalty shootout, Messi exchanged words with Dutch manager Louis van Gaal and his assistant Edgar Davids. Messi clearly made gestures and had to be separated by the Dutch staff.“I don’t like to talk before the games, the number 19 (Wout Weghorst) started to provoke, bump into us, say things to us and I think it’s not part of football. I respect everyone but I like that they respect me too and I think their coach was not respectful to us. It’s the heat of the moment, of the game and of the situation and it stays there, obviously. Van Gaal said they have an advantage if it goes to penalties, he needs to keep his mouth shut. Van Gaal says that they play good football, but what he did was put on tall people and hit long balls” said Messi after the game.If you don’t understand or even criticize the reaction of the Argentine team, you’d better check the disrespect shown by van Gaal before the game (to Messi) and throughout his career ( to Riquelme, Di María). He’s the Anti-Football-in-Chief. pic.twitter.com/Qv2HatYlMs— Marco Mangini (@Mymtrex) December 9, 2022 There is also some bad blood between Van Gaal and Argentinian players. Messi’s teammate Angel DI Maria was quoted saying that the Dutchman was the worst coach he had, and it’s a well-documented fact that another Argentine legend Huan Roman Riquelme was badly treated while playing in Barcelona under Van Gaal. So, when Messi scored against the Netherlands, he turned to the Dutch bench and celebrated the goal towards Van Gaal with Riquelme’s famous goal celebration move. After the penalty shootout, Aston Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez saved two shots and then launched abuse towards the opposition dugout. ‘Keep your mouth shut you f***ing t***! I f***ed you twice!’ he said.##NAJAVA_MECA_6877797##
