Netherlands 4-0 Argentina: 1974 second group stage
The first World Cup meeting between the sides is not one Argentina will remember with fondness. They are ruthlessly torn apart in Gelsenkirchen by the brilliant Johan Cruyff-inspired Oranje, whose collective vision, movement and passing patterns are complemented by steely tackling and defensive discipline. Cruyff dances around the goalkeeper, Daniel Carnevali, to roll in the first after latching on to Johan Neeskens’s chipped pass; it is the defender Wim Rijsbergen’s crunching challenge that sets the platform for the attack. Ruud Krol soon rockets in the second from the edge of the area after a corner. In the second half, Cruyff whips an immaculate cross to the far post where Johnny Rep’s bullet header makes it 3-0. On the sidelines, the Netherlands manager, Rinus Michels, laughs, claps and rubs his hands with glee. In the last minute, after yet another fluent passing move, Wim van Hanegem’s close-range shot is beaten out by Carnevali, only for Cruyff to audaciously volley in from an angle. For a proud footballing nation such as Argentina it is particularly painful to be taught a lesson in such emphatic fashion. Total football; total domination.
Argentina 3-1 Netherlands: 1978 final
Much like Qatar 2022, the 1978 tournament in Argentina is seriously tarnished by concerns over human rights abuses in the host nation: in this case the murderous military dictatorship of Jorge Rafael Videla. Before the tournament there is an international campaign for a boycott. Cruyff chooses not to play, but his decision is prompted mainly by a violent kidnapping attempt on him and his family in Barcelona rather than any political sensibilities. Rijsbergen and his teammate Wim Suurbier, instructed to ride bicycles while recovering from injuries during the tournament, visit Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, to witness protests by the mothers of the disappeared. By the end of the final Videla has achieved his dual goal: legitimisation of his regime by hosting the World Cup and for Argentina to be champions. In a narrower sporting sense, the victory is revenge for Argentina’s thrashing four years previously. After Mario Kempes slides in the opening goal, Dirk Nanninga’s header forces extra time. Another from Kempes and a third by Daniel Bertoni crush the dreams of the Netherlands, who lose a second straight World Cup final.
Netherlands 2-1 Argentina: 1998 quarter-final
Patrick Kluivert’s opener in Marseille is created by a wonderfully perceptive cushioned header by Dennis Bergkamp. Five minutes later, Argentina’s equaliser arrives when the Netherlands botch their offside trap and Claudio López sprints through one-on-one, patiently waiting for his moment before passing the ball through Edwin van der Sar’s legs. Both teams are reduced to 10 men – Arthur Numan takes a second booking after fouling Diego Simeone while Ariel Ortega is sent off after clashing with Van der Sar three minutes from full-time. In the final minute, Argentina appear to have resigned themselves to extra time. They are content to let Frank de Boer advance towards halfway, backing off and allowing him time and space. It proves a costly error. De Boer drills a long diagonal pass, left to right, aimed at his former Ajax teammate Bergkamp. The Arsenal forward requires three touches with his right boot: the first to bring the ball perfectly under control after it floats over his left shoulder, another to cut back inside the covering run of the centre-back Roberto Ayala and a third to clip an expertly executed shot into the far corner beyond the helpless Carlos Roa in goal. An iconic moment and one of the greatest World Cup goals. “A dream,” De Boer would later say.
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Netherlands 0-0 Argentina: 2006 group stage
Both sides have defeated Ivory Coast and Serbia & Montenegro in Group C: as a result they have qualified for the knockout stages, with multiple changes made by Marco van Basten and José Pekerman. The least memorable World Cup meeting between the nations is the result, although Argentina have the better of it, Carlos Tevez hitting the woodwork and Juan Román Riquelme shooting narrowly wide a couple of times. The stalemate means Argentina top the group and progress to meet Mexico, while the Netherlands book a last-16 date against Portugal. Had Van Basten and the Netherlands known what awaited in the knockouts they might have tried harder to win the group: the Slag van Neurenberg (Battle of Nuremberg) against Portugal would lead to them being eliminated by Maniche’s solitary goal in a match featuring a record four red cards and 16 yellows.
Netherlands 0-0 Argentina aet (2-4 pens): 2014 semi-final
A renewal of a classic rivalry but far from a classic match. Defences stay in control for 120 minutes of a São Paulo semi-final the Guardian’s match report describes as “wretched”, “dreary” and “a stinker”. Aside from a first-half free-kick hit straight at the goalkeeper, Jasper Cillessen, Lionel Messi is largely kept quiet and the Netherlands winger Arjen Robben is denied by an excellent sliding tackle by Javier Mascherano as full-time approaches. Rodrigo Palacio should win it with five minutes of extra time remaining but tries to head Messi’s bouncing through ball rather than take it on the half-volley. In the Netherlands’ quarter-final penalty shootout victory against Costa Rica Louis van Gaal replaced Cillessen with Tim Krul in the 120th minute. Krul saved two spot-kicks and the decision was recognised as a high-risk managerial masterstroke. This time, however, Van Gaal has used his three permitted substitutes. Argentina’s Sergio Romero saves from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder, leaving Maxi Rodríguez to smash a shot through Cillessen’s hands and send Argentina to the final. “I taught Romero how to stop penalties [at AZ Alkmaar],” says Van Gaal. “So that hurts.”
