Netherlands defender Nathan Ake names one Argentina player other than Lionel Messi who will be very tough to defend against in the QFs
Nathaniel Ake has said that marking Argentina's Lionel Messi will be a good challenge but has advised his Netherlands teammates to be wary of Julian Alvarez. The two sides are set to clash in the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA World Cup on Friday, December 9.
Messi is Argentina's talisman going into every game. It's no surprise that the Manchester City centre-back is aware of the threat posed by the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) playmaker.
However, he has also highlighted Alvarez's strengths, a player he knows well considering they are teammates at the Etihad. City signed Alvarez from River Plate last year and loaned him back to the Argentine outfit for the 2021-22 season.
He has scored seven goals and provided two assists in 20 games across competitions for his new club. For La Albiceleste, he scored in the 2-0 group-stage win over Poland before bagging another goal in the 2-1 last-16 victory against Australia.
788 goals in 1000 appearances. Messi will be spoken about for centuries to come. We lived it. https://t.co/Zhz09mFxnZ
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Netherlands' quarter-final clash against Argentina, Ake admitted that it will be a 'good challenge' to mark Messi.
Addressing Alvarez's threat, the former Chelsea defender said (h/t Sportstar):
"As a player he’s very technical, very difficult to mark even in training, very sharp, good finishing, so it will be tough. He’s a great player but also a great guy off the pitch. He’s a little bit quiet."
He added:
“He’s still learning English and he comes from a different environment so it’s all new for him but he’s fitted in really well.”
The Netherlands have an in-form striker of their own in Cody Gakpo. The PSV Eindhoven striker scored one goal each in all three of his team's group-stage games.
Alvarez, meanwhile, is expected to start for the two-time World Cup winners after being named in the starting XI in their last two games.
Lionel Messi in sublime form for Argentina at 2022 FIFA World Cup ahead of the Netherlands clash
The dream of a World Cup final between Lionel Messi's Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal is still in the cards 👀 https://t.co/Z40NxcSDMs
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has been billed as potentially Lionel Messi's last World Cup, with the playmaker now 35 years old.
He has failed to win the trophy in his last four tries. The closest he came to winning it was in 2014 when his team lost 1-0 to Germany in the final.
He has taken matters into his own hands this time around. He scored in the 2-1 loss to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia before scoring and assisting one goal each in the 2-0 win over Mexico.
Messi opened the scoring for his team for the third time in this World Cup when he scored a sublime goal against Australia. It is clear that he is manager Lionel Scaloni's main man and one to keep an eye out for over any other Argentina player.