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Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina will meet Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on Friday night (9 December). Scaloni’s side beat Australia 2-1 in the last 16 to book their place in the quarter-finals. Netherlands, on the other hand, inflicted a 3-1 defeat upon USA to secure passage to the quarters.
The 2010 World Cup runners-up are currently on an encouraging 19-game unbeaten run. Here are the XI Scaloni could pick to put an end to it on Friday:
Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez
Argentina's first-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been in decent form in Qatar. He has been confident when claiming the ball and his distribution has also been tidy.
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Martinez has rarely been called into action so far, but he is expected to be plenty busy against the likes of Cody Gakpo and Memphis Depay on Friday.
Right-back: Nahuel Molina
Nahuel Molina has been the go-to right-back for Scaloni at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Barring the 2-0 victory over Mexico, Molina has started in every game, pitching in with an assist.
Scaloni is unlikely to tinker with his winning formula for the crucial quarter-final clash against Netherlands.
Center-back: Cristian Romero
Tottenham Hotspur center-back Cristian Romero was below his best in La Albiceleste’s opening-day 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia. Manchester United ace Lisandro Martinez replaced him in the lineup against Mexico and Argentina managed to secure a 2-0 victory in the game.
Martinez’s performance seemingly failed to impress Scaloni, who brought Romero back into the XI in the matches against Poland and Australia. The Spurs man has also rewarded his coach’s faith with confident displays and should earn his third consecutive World Cup appearance against Netherlands on Friday.
Center-back: Nicolas Otamendi
One of the most experienced players on the team, Nicolas Otamendi demonstrated his attacking side in the 2-1 victory over Australia. He teed the ball up for Messi inside the penalty box, allowing him to open the scoring for his side.
Defensively, he has been as solid as ever, making important interceptions and clearing the ball without any hesitation since the start of the tournament. The South Americans will count on his experience to keep the Netherlands’ in-form striker Gakpo at bay.
Left-back: Marcos Acuna
Sevilla fullback Marcos Acuna was given the nod ahead of Nicolas Tagliafico in the 2-1 victory over Australia. Acuna rarely ventured forward, but he was practically faultless at the back, performing vital defensive actions.
Acuna could be crucial in keeping the effervescent Denzel Dumfries from stretching his legs on Friday.
Central midfielder: Rodrigo De Paul
The only constant in Argentina’s midfield, Rodrigo De Paul alleviated fears of a leg injury by making an encouraging social-media post, confirming that all was fine with him. If he is indeed fully fit, De Paul should be one of the first names on Scaloni’s team sheet.
The Atletico Madrid midfielder struggled in the group stages but produced a memorable performance in the last 16, chasing down every ball and playing three key passes.
His battle with Frenkie de Jong could be one of the highlights of the game on Friday.
Central midfield: Enzo Fernandez
The unfortunate own goal in his last outing (2-1 win over Australia) aside, Enzo Fernandez has had an excellent tournament. The 21-year-old caught eyeballs in the Group C clash against Mexico, scoring a stunning 87th-minute curler to seal a 2-0 win for his side. He started and claimed an assist against Poland as Scaloni’s team marched on to another 2-0 victory in their final Group C game.
Another starting XI appearance seems to be on the cards for the young Benfica midfielder.
Central midfield: Alexis Mac Allister
Alexis Mac Allister has emerged as one of the most crucial cogs in Scaloni’s machine in Qatar. He has started in the last three games for the South Americans, producing confident midfield play and scoring a fine goal (2-0 against Poland).
Given how well he has fared at the tournament, Leandro Paredes is unlikely to wiggle his way back into the XI against Netherlands.
Second striker: Lionel Messi
Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi seldom operates as a winger anymore. He loves to sit in the hole behind the frontmen and strike the perfect balance between goalscoring and playmaking. Messi’s withdrawn positioning has worked wonders at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the forward pitching in with three goals and an assist in four matches.
Messi, who scored in the 2-1 win over Australia in the pre-quarterfinals, is likely to be heavily marked by Dutch defenders. It will be interesting to see how he goes about shaking his tail off.
Right forward: Angel Di Maria
Angel Di Maria missed the match against Australia due to a quadriceps problem. Fortunately for La Albicelste, the Juventus forward has stepped up his recovery and is expected to feature against Netherlands.
His link-up play with long-time partner Messi could be the key to unlocking the stubborn Dutch defense on Friday.
Left forward: Julian Alvarez
Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez has been in excellent form for Argentina in Qatar and should be a shoo-in for the clash against Netherlands. He is coming into the match on the back of a well-taken goal against Australia in the round of 16.
The 22-year-old pounced on a mistake from the goalkeeper in the 57th minute and rolled the ball into the back of the net. If he keeps this up, the Dutch could have a tough time keeping him under wraps.
