Doug McIntyre

Soccer Journalist

AL RAYYAN, Qatar – Ángel Di María’s availability for Argentina in Friday’s marquee World Cup quarterfinal in opposition to the Netherlands stays a thriller, because of Albiceleste coach Lionel Scaloni.

In a combative Thursday information convention forward of the matchup between the 2 international powers at Lusail Iconic Stadium (2 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App), the 44-year-old supervisor sparred with reporters and refused to say if veteran ahead Di María, who missed Argentina’s victory over Australia within the spherical of 16 final week, would be capable to play in opposition to the three-time World Cup runner up.

Argentina’s Angel Di Maria took half in a coaching session at Qatar University in Doha on Thursday, the eve of the World Cup quarterfinal in opposition to the Netherlands. (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP by way of Getty Images)

“In principle, they’re feeling good, and we will see in today’s training and come up with a lineup,” Scaloni stated of Di María and midfielder Rodrigo De Paul.

Not having Di María can be a significant setback. The 34-year-old, who scored the successful objective over Brazil within the 2021 Copa America closing that gave captain Lionel Messi his first trophy for his nation, stays a key participant for the Albiceleste regardless of closing in on his thirty fifth birthday early subsequent yr. The former Real Madrid, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and present Juventus attacker has performed 127 occasions for Argentina, scoring 27 objectives.

Di María was injured and unable to function the final time Argentina and the Netherlands met within the knockout stage of the World Cup, within the semifinals at Brazil 2014. Argentina received anyway, on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes, earlier than shedding to Germany within the championship match.

If Di María is not wholesome sufficient to go Friday he would miss out on a reunion with Dutch coach Louis van Gaal. Di María spent the 2014-15 season enjoying below Van Gaal in Manchester. After he left, he referred to as Van Gaal, one of the crucial profitable coaches of the final 30 years, “the worst of my career.”

“I don’t like it that he said it,” Van Gaal, who additionally coached the Oranje in 2014, admitted at his personal information convention earlier Thursday. “That’s just the way it is. A head coach needs to make decisions, and they don’t always end well.”

He certainly will not be sad if Di María, who Van Gaal referred to as “a really good football player,” cannot line up in opposition to his staff.

Argentina and the Netherlands have met 5 earlier occasions on the World Cup, 4 of them within the knockout stage. Two-time champion Argentina received their first title by beating the Dutch on residence soil within the 1978 closing, a 3-1 victory in additional time.

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