Lionel Messi‘s former Argentina team-mate Juan Roman Riquelme believes former Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal was foolish to anger the forward ahead of their World Cup quarter-final showdown.
Before the game, Van Gaal said it ‘wasn’t difficult to come up with an answer as to how to stop him,’ having previously claimed Messi didn’t touch the ball when the two nations met at the 2014 World Cup.
The quarter-final in Qatar would go on to be the fieriest match of the tournament with 15 yellow cards brandished – but it was Messi’s side ended up progressing to the semi-finals on penalties.
Lionel Messi celebrated in front of Louis van Gaal (second right) in the World Cup quarter-final
Juan Roman Riquelme, who also did the celebration, says Van Gaal was foolish to anger Messi
The PSG star scored a spot-kick during the 2-2 draw and directed his celebration towards Van Gaal, cupping his ears.
It was a celebration inspired by Riquelme, one of Messi’s childhood heroes, who was once brutally ousted from Barcelona by none other Van Gaal.
Talking about the incident, Riquelme told TyC: ‘I think Van Gaal had said something and he should not have.
‘There are things that cannot happen in football. You cannot make him (Messi) angry. It is preferable to hug him, kiss him, so that he does not want to beat you.
Messi was clearly fired up during the heated World Cup quarter-final clash in Qatar
When the best player in the world gets angry, you don’t have a chance to beat him. It is impossible. That’s why Van Gaal’s words about Argentina were actually very good for them. And on top of that, Messi has an advantage because, when he gets angry, he doesn’t get sent off like other players.’
Riquelme added of his relationship with Messi: ‘He knows that I love him very much, we talk from time to time. I don’t bother him much, but we have a very good relationship. I only wrote to him when we lost the first game and when we won the final.
‘I always said that as long as Messi plays, Argentina is always going to be the favourite. He wants to compete, he plays football like he would in the street. When he plays, it is wonderful.’
Source: dailymail
