Former Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal claims World Cup was fixed for Lionel Messi and Argentina to win
The Independent Former Netherlands head coach Louis van Gaal has sensationally claimed that the Qatar World Cup was fixed to ensure that Lionel Messi and Argentina would win.
Messi guided his nation to their first World Cup triumph since 1986 with a penalty shootout victory against France in the final. The Inter Miami forward scored twice in the final before converting his penalty in the shootout which Argentina won 4-2.
En route to the final, the South American nation battled past the Netherlands, triumphing again on penalties in the quarter-finals after a dramatic and feisty contest that saw 16 yellow cards issued throughout the game.
Van Gaal was the man in the Dutch dugout for the defeat but the 72-year-old believes that the tournament was predetermined to ensure that Messi and the Argentinian national team would triumph in what will likely be the legendary forwards last World Cup.
