Messi World Cup win was 'premeditated' - Van Gaal

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The outcome of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, according to Louis van Gaal, was planned to enable Lionel Messi eventually win the championship with Argentina.

In December 2022, Messi guided Argentina to its third World Cup victory when the star forward scored twice in the championship match to assist the South American team defeat France 4-2 on penalties at the Lusail Stadium.

Earlier in the competition, Netherlands had been eliminated at the quarterfinal round as Argentina defeated them on penalties following a 2-2 draw.

After the Netherlands were eliminated from the World Cup, Van Gaal, the former Dutch head coach, claimed he believed their match versus Argentina was planned.

Van Gaal told reporters, “I really don’t want to say much about it. “I think it was all a premeditated game,” said the player after observing how Argentina scored their goals, how we scored our goals, and how certain Argentina players crossed the line but were not penalized.

When asked to clarify his meaning, Van Gaal replied, “I mean everything I say.”

After helping Argentina win the World Cup the previous year, Lionel Messi was awarded the tournament’s player of the year.

When questioned once more if he planned for Messi to win the world championship, Van Gaal responded, “I think so, yes.”

Messi and Van Gaal clashed during the game as the forward ran in front of the Netherlands coach to celebrate his goal by putting his hands to his ears.

Following the penalty shootout, the captain of Argentina also addressed Van Gaal, and Messi later expressed contrition for his performance during the match.

The captain of the Netherlands’ World Cup team, Virgil van Dijk, disapproved of his former manager’s remarks.

“I heard it this morning, indeed. And that’s actually it,” he said. “It is of course his opinion. Everyone is allowed to have an opinion. I do not share the same opinion.”

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