Denzel Dumfries Doubts Lionel Messi World Cup Loss Will Make The Dutch Mourn
After the “best performance” of his career against the USA, Denzel Dumfries is ultra-focused on ensuring that Netherlands wins against Argentina in their 2022 FIFA World Cup‘s Round of 16 fixture, and he certainly won’t be too bothered about disappointing Messi fans, as per his pointed answer in an interview.
Since the pre-World Cup season, the entire world has been anxious to watch a final that pits Argentina against Portugal, to ensure that the two legends of the sport, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have a shot at their international career’s swan song.
It would certainly be extremely disappointing for most of the footballing community if neither of the two make it that far in the tournament. Portugal has already cleared the quarter-final test, and now, it is Argentina’s turn.
However, Argentina goes up against a team led by Louis van Gaal that has proven its merit in Qatar this year.
This effectively means that the Netherlands have the power to destroy the dream of every child, teenager, and adult that has idolised Lionel Messi to see Argentina’s jersey number 10 hoisting the FIFA World Cup trophy.
But Dumfries has other priorities and he’s not shied to admit it.
In an interview, the Dutch right-back shows his resolute determination to defeat Argentina, even if it’s at the cost of the whole world’s desire to see Messi go through to the semi-finals.
In response to the interviewer asking the right back, “Do you realize that when you eliminate Messi, you don’t just put Argentina in mourning, but the whole world?”, Dumfries responds without hesitation saying, “I think there are 16 million people in the Netherlands whom we don’t put into mourning.”
The interviewer was quick to point out that fans of the Dutch side were the only exception but Dumfries refused to budge from his loyalty to his country and retorted, “That’s who we play for right?”
If nothing else, the interview shows the magnitude of emotions that will form part and parcel of the upcoming Round of 16 fixture.
And the Netherlands will have a difficult time battling the boo from everybody outside the Dutch country.
If, however, one was to analyse the fixture objectively, the Netherlands does have a decent chance of victory if Dumfries can play with the immense clinical ability he’s managed to put on display in his time at Inter Milan and for his nation in Qatar.
While the team doesn’t rely solely on Denzel Dumfries’ ability, he’s shown his influence in an attack with multiple assists and goal-scoring chances, and it will be required if Netherlands’ boss, Van Gaal, wants to exploit the weaknesses in Argentina’s game, which he claims to have figured out.
