Dutch players don't agree with Van Gaal's opinion about Messi

The coach is the sore loser and the players are not. That's bacially the outcome of the media storm which was caused by the former Netherlands coach Luis Van Gaal, who said that his impression is that everything was setup for Lionel Messi to become the champion. Off course, he was mainly referring to the 4-3 quarterfinals loss after the penalties in the recently finished World Cup in Qatar. And now, ahead of the EURO 2024 qualifying match against Greece, his successor Ronald Koeman had to answer to those questions, even he was not in the mood, ahead of the important game.

The matches in September could easily be the last for Koeman, if the result is not right. The former Barcelona manager became a coach after the World Cup in Qatar, but he lost three of the first four games. In the semifinals of the League of Nations, Croatia was better (4:2), and in the match for third place Italy (3:2). And the Greece team is very tricky, but instead, the Dutch coach was asked about Van Gaal's statements. And he didn't agree, and even had a piece of advice for his old friend.

"I personally wouldn't say this, but you have to respect every opinion. During my career in Spain, I sometimes had the feeling that Madrid was favored over Barcelona. But if you can't prove it, I think it's better not to say anything" said Koeman.

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Goalkeeper Mark Flek, who was not selected for the World Cup in Qatar but now is in the squad, said that in the dressing room, the players talked about their ex-coach's statements.

"If it is the opinion of the ex-national coach, then he can express that opinion. I personally did not have that opinion during the World Cup“ said the keeper.

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Netherlands captain and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk though the same as Flek and Coeman.

"I heard it 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" said the player.

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Van Gaal made his first media appearance since last winter's World Cup in Qatar in Utrecht and when asked about the painful defeat responded:

"When you see how Argentina gets the goals and how we get the goals and how some of Argentina's players went over the line and weren't penalized, I think it's all premeditated. I mean everything I say by that. That Messi should be world champion? I think so, yes".

EURO 2024 QUALIFIERS

Thursday

17.00: (3.45) Kazakhstan (3.30) Finland (2.30)

19.00: (5.70) Lithuania (3.60) Montenegro (1.75)

21.45: (1.20) France (6.50) R.Ireland (16.0)

21.45: (1.45) Netherlands (4.30) Greece (7.75)

21.45: (1.55) Czech R. (3.90) Albania (8.00)

21.45: (1.15) Poland (9.50) Faroe I. (19.0)

21.45: (1.83) Serbia (3.60) Hungary (5.10)

21.45: (1.01) Denmark (22.0) San Marino (65.0)

21.45: (1.95) Slovenia (3.45) N.Ireland (4.50)

***odds are subject to change