Football

World Cup 2022: Angry Van Dijk Won’t Watch World Cup Following Dutch Exit

World Cup 2022: Angry Van Dijk Won’t Watch World Cup Following Dutch Exit
Doha, Qatar, 9th December 2022. Virgil Van Dijk of Netherlands dejected during the FIFA World Cup 2022 match at Lusail Stadium, Doha. Picture credit should read: David Klein / Sportimage - Photo by Icon sport

Netherlands’ captain Virgil van Dijk has said he won’t  be watching any more of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after his side endured a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat to Argentina in the tournament’s quarter-final stage.

The loss sees the Netherlands continue to go without the most prized silverware in World football. The Dutch have been runners-up in the competition three times previously in their history but Friday’s defeat sees them exit at the quarter-final stage this year.

The Netherlands’ game against Argentina was an absorbing spectacle filled with conflict and drama. Argentina were up two goals by the 73rd minute thanks to an assist and penalty goal from the South American side’s superstar, Leo Messi.

It looked like the Dutch were out of the running at that stage but substitute striker Wout Weghorst made all the difference when he came on and scored twice to tie the game at 2-2 and send proceedings to extra-time.

Weghorst’s second goal was particularly memorable, coming from a unique free-kick training ground move by the Dutch. Cody Gakpo opted to pass to Weghorst directly from a last minute free just outside the Argentinean box rather than shoot at goal, and the striker finished it to equalize in spectacular fashion.

Refereeing Controversy

The referee, Antonio Mateu Laho , was also accused of losing control of the game early on. A record amount of yellow cards (17) were shown to players on both sides as the fixture continued to see physical encounters throughout the heated tie.

It culminated late on in normal time when Leandro Paredes fired the ball at the Netherlands’ bench after fouling Nathan Ake and tempers frayed on both sides. Van Dijk pushed Paredes to the ground in the melee that followed.

When the game went to penalties, Argentina ‘keeper Emiliano Martinez stepped up to save the Netherland’s opening two penalty kicks, the first from van Dijk himself.  Argentina got their penalties off to a start with Messi scoring nonchalantly passed Dutch goalie Noppert.  Though Argentina missed a kick too, Lautaro Martinez sealed the deal for the South American’s with the side’s final penalty kick.

Van Dijk’s Post-Match Comments

Van Dijk responded angrily to reporters who questioned him in the aftermath of the game, asking him whether he thought Argentina would go on to win the tournament in Qatar.

“I don’t care. I won’t watch any more,” the Dutch skipper replied to reporters.

The captain refused to comment on many of the events of the game, but it was clear that he was seriously unhappy with how Argentina had conducted themselves on the field of play in the vital fixture. One such incident was Nicolas Otamendi’s goading of the Dutch when Martinez struck the game’s winning penalty.

Argentina and Van Dijk's Netherlands clash on the sideline after Paredes kicked ball at the Dutch bench
Virgil VAN DIJK of Netherlands argues with Leandro PAREDES of Argentina during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Quarterfinal match between Netherlands and Argentina at Lusail Stadium on December 9, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Baptiste Fernandez/Icon Sport)

Unhappy Argentina

After the game, Messi was captured asking a member of the Dutch squad “what are you looking at, fool,” before the person did his media duties. Argentina appeared to be equally unhappy with how the game had panned out.

Lionel Messi refused to comment on the game’s referee after full-time: “I don’t want to speak about referees because after they will sanction you.”

“But people saw what happened,” he said, “I think Fifa must take care of this, it cannot put a referee like that for a match of such magnitude, of such importance.

“The referee cannot fail to be up to the task. A lot of joy and relief. It wasn’t to go to penalty kicks. We suffered too much for how it all happened. But the it’s the quarter finals of the World Cup.”

 

 

 

 

 


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