Virgil van Dijk has rejected the assertion made by former Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal that the 2022 World Cup was manipulated.
Van Gaal, who retired from professional coaching following the World Cup last year, recently stated in an interview with NOS that he believed Argentina received unfair advantages in the tournament, insinuating that the World Cup was rigged in favor of Lionel Messi’s team.
However, the Netherlands’ captain, Virgil van Dijk, has countered his former coach’s remarks and expressed his disagreement with the controversial allegation.
Speaking to NOC, the Liverpool defender said, “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.”
After a shock defeat at the hands of minnows Saudi Arabia in their tournament opener, Argentina went on to lift the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
En route to the final, La Albiceleste met the Netherlands in a dramatic quarterfinal.
The Dutch came back from a two-goal deficit to equalise in the dying moments of the match, only to go on to lose in a penalty shootout.
Messi is now back with the Argentina squad and preparing for World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Ecuador.