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The Netherlands will take on Argentina in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Friday, 9 December at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar.
The Dutch national team will be looking to reach their third World Cup semi-final since 2010. La Albiceleste, on the other hand, are amongst the favorites for the tournament and are hoping to win a second major trophy in as many years in Qatar.
Ahead of the mouthwatering tie, this article will look at three key individual battles that could determine the outcome of this FIFA World Cup clash.
#3 Julian Alvarez vs Nathan Ake
Alvarez has been one of Argentina's best performing attackers, scoring twice in the competition so far.
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The Manchester City forward's movement in the box is immaculate, coupled with his ability to position himself in the right place at the right time. Furthermore, his instincts in the final third are those of a "proper poacher" as he's always quick to react to a goalkeeper spill or rebound.
Alvarez's rise in the national team has come at the perfect time as well, given Lautaro Martinez's poor form for Argentina. Monitoring his positioning in attack is a tough task and Ake will have his work cut out.
However, Ake's defensive intuition has been impressive in the competition so far and he would be quite familiar with Alvarez's playing patterns as they are club teammates. Hence, it will be interesting to see if he can keep Alvarez quiet.
#2 Cody Gakpo vs Cristian Romero
Gakpo is arguably the best performing Dutch player coming into the encounter and has netted three goals in the World Cup so far.
The PSV Eindhoven attacker is highly versatile and can play across the frontline. His vision in the final third of the pitch is outstanding and he can set up chances for teammates, besides scoring himself.
Affording Gakpo too much room could be dangerous, as his finishing ability is exceptional. Monitoring his movement in and around the penalty box is a tough task and one that Cristian Romero is set to take on.
The Tottenham centre-back has had an impressive tournament so far, but will face his toughest test yet from the Dutch attack. Romero certainly enjoys putting in a tackle and will need all of his tenacity against Gakpo and co.
#1 Lionel Messi vs Virgil van Dijk
The most intriguing encounter will, of course, be Lionel Messi taking on Virgil van Dijk.
Messi is Argentina's deadliest attacker and has already scored thrice and assisted once in the tournament.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward can single-handedly determine the outcome of any encounter. He scored his first goal in a World Cup knockout tie against Australia and will be desperate to add to that tally.
Virgil van Dijk will have to be very sharp and defensively alert to counteract Messi's threat for the duration of the match. Van Dijk's leadership in defense has been important for Louis Van Gaal and it will be interesting to see if he can silence Messi in this encounter.
