Netherlands coach Louis Van Gaal has already started the mind games ahead of this evening’s World Cup semi final in Sao Paulo, by stating that Argentina’s star man Lionel Messi is under pressure heading into the game.
Van Gaal takes his side into the clash for a right to face Germany in the final on Sunday, and stated that the Barcelona forward has sometime’s struggled on the big stage at international tournaments with the South American nation.
“We are playing against Argentina,” the 62-year-old told reporters. “We’re preparing a strategy for a team, not individual players, so I’ll be ready for Argentina and their players.
“Messi has been elected the best player in the world. There’s a reason for that. If you score so many goals, you have an added value, but on the most important stage, he hasn’t always pulled it off.
“He’s always found it difficult to do that at international level and he wants to change that at this tournament.”
Messi, aged 27 has scored four goals in five games for the Argentines, who are looking for their first World Cup win since 1986.
By Ben Reardon
@BenReardon1
