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The Hague (AFP) – Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal considered that the 2022 World Cup was more merciful for the national team, compared to his country’s last participation in the 2014 World Cup, when it came third.
Van Gaal, who sparked controversy a few days ago when he considered Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup finals “ridiculous” and granted FIFA the right to organize the small, gas-rich Gulf state “because of money and commercial interests”, his team signed against host Qatar, in addition to Senegal, the African champion, and Ecuador in the first group.
The Netherlands reached the semi-finals of 2014, losing to Argentina on penalties, after leading a strong group that included Spain, Chile and Australia, in which it achieved three remarkable victories.
Van Gaal, who led the Netherlands in the Brazilian World Cup, continued, “At that time we faced world champion Spain, a strong team from South America (Chile) and a team of fighters from Australia. It was a very difficult match against the latter.”
The 70-year-old added, “The lottery is better than 2014, but that doesn’t mean anything. We are preparing well. I haven’t been to Qatar or Senegal often, so I don’t know these two countries well. (I went) to Qatar with Bayern (Munich) and two years ago I spent Vacation in Senegal. We have good observers who will study the national teams.”
The coach, returning to the orange team, had expected to fall with Qatar in one group, and “it was a bet, but it is nice when the bet becomes a reality.”
The Dutch national team, absent from the 2018 edition, is preparing to play matches in the European Nations League, where “we have six matches in the Nations League. We play on the first day of the World Cup, so we do not have time to prepare well. But if we advance in the tournament, that will be an advantage for us later.”
© 2022 AFP