The Dutch have gained less attention in the build-up to the tournament after failing to qualify for the World Cup in Russia four years ago, but arrive as one of the top form teams in Europe
Louis van Gaal
The Netherlands arelooking to make two statements in its opening World Cup game on Monday against a Senegal team that have to quickly get over the loss of star forward Sadio Mane.
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The first is strictly about football and establishing the team as a contender for the title in Qatar. The Dutch have gained less attention in the build-up to the tournament after failing to qualify for the World Cup in Russia four years ago, but arrive as one of the top form teams in Europe. “We have a great chance of also becoming a world champion,” said Dutch coach Louis van Gaal, who is back for a third spell in charge. “There are few coaches who dared to speak like that, but I say this.”
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The second statement the Dutch want to make at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha centres around the long-running criticism of the World Cup host country’s laws and human rights record.The Netherlands soccer federation is the leader of the “One Love” anti-discrimination movement and Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk is expected to wear an armband with a multi-coloured heart-shaped logo in defiance of a FIFA order to keep politics out of the World Cup.
The World Cup will likely be the last major coaching assignment for the 71-year-old van Gaal. Although there’s a long road ahead in Qatar, the Group A game against African champion Senegal is the biggest early challenge for the Dutch and a good indicator of how far they might go. The Netherlands are on a 15-match unbeaten run under van Gaal.
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