Virgil Van Dijk defends Lionel Messi after Louis Van Gaal’s World Cup comments

Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk has defended footballer Lionel Messi after manager Louis Van Gaal claimed World Cup games were ‘premeditated’ in order to help the Argentine win.

Argentina beat the Netherlands on their way to winning the World Cup in Qatar, causing Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal to shockingly claim that the games were fixed in order for La Albiceleste to lift the trophy. However, defender of the Dutch National Team, Virgil Van Dijk, has now come out and said that he does not agree with the comments made by his national side manager.

Van Dijk and the Netherlands are currently preparing for their Euro 2024 qualifier games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland, which will take place on September 7 and 10, respectively. The Oranje are currently fourth in their group are sit a whopping nine points off leaders France, though they do have two games in hand.

What did Louis Van Gaal say about Messi?

“I don’t really want to say much about it”, Van Gaal said before saying too much about it, “when you see how Argentina gets the goals and how we get the goals, and how some Argentina players overstepped the mark and were not punished, then I think it all premeditated game”, he told Dutch media outlet NOS before adding “I mean everything I say. That Messi should become world champion? I think so, yes.”

What did Virgil Van Dijk say about Louis Van Gaal?

And now his defender has had his say on the matter. Van Dijk said that he “heard [Van Gaal’s opinion] this morning, indeed... And that’s actually it. It is of course his opinion. Everyone is allowed to have an opinion. I do not share the same opinion.” Van Gaal was speakng at an awards ceremony the previous evening.

The game against the Netherlands was one of the most memorable World Cup matches in recent memory, with Messi sliding a wonderful pass to Nahuel Molina through Van Dijk’s legs before scoring a penalty to go 2-0 up.

But late goals from the Dutch side, including a wonderful free-kick routine which saw Wout Weghorst enter football folklore, saw them draw level and take the game to penalties. Eventually, Lautaro Martínez’s strike was enough to see the South American side through.

That may be the end of the football gossip on this topic of ‘debate’. At least until the first question comes at Louis Van Gaal’s next press conference.