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When optimistic Dutch and pessimistic Argentinian fans meet

SINGAPORE — While Argentina have won the World Cup twice, the Netherlands have had to endure losing the final in 1974, 1978 — a 3-1 defeat by Argentina — and 2010. But the Netherlands’ form in Brazil has gotten long-suffering Dutch fans believing that this will finally be their year, compared with Argentina fans’ less-than-optimistic assessment of their team’s chances, as TODAY found out on the eve of their vital semi-final clash in Sao Paulo.

SINGAPORE — While Argentina have won the World Cup twice, the Netherlands have had to endure losing the final in 1974, 1978 — a 3-1 defeat by Argentina — and 2010. But the Netherlands’ form in Brazil has gotten long-suffering Dutch fans believing that this will finally be their year, compared with Argentina fans’ less-than-optimistic assessment of their team’s chances, as TODAY found out on the eve of their vital semi-final clash in Sao Paulo.

THE DUTCH

Barbara Riedijk, 30, Managing Director at Kala Club

Araasj Farin, 31, works in shipping company

Esther van der Meer, 39, works at Booking.com

Fred Greve, 41, Architect at WAVE

Elmer van Loon, 39, General Manager of Hollandse Club

THE ARGENTINIANS

Guillermo Frydman, 46, works in healthcare industry

Agustin Ignacio Cavalieri, 34, Visual effects artist

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR COUNTRIES’ CHANCES OF REACHING THE FINAL?

Riedijk (Ned): I’m surprised it took us so long to beat Costa Rica. We had so many chances, so I hope we’re going to perform better against Argentina.

Greve (Ned): I think we are over-performing, because the expectations for us were low. Although we beat Spain 5-1, it is almost like “catenaccio”, like Italian football which focuses on defence, and you let somebody run and counter-attack — that is how we score goals.

Van Loon (Ned): That is the beauty of it, because the Netherlands usually play a lot of possession, but at this World Cup, we have a lot of counter-attacking football, which is very effective.

Reidijk (Ned): And Louis van Gaal has got a plan, so we are not worried.

Frydman(Arg): Honestly, Argentina’s defence has not been great, but we are very positive with our goalkeeper (Sergio Romero). But we expected more from players like (Sergio) Aguero. And with (Angel) Di Maria out, I am wondering who will supply passes to (Lionel) Messi.

Cavalieri (Arg): We laboured to 1-0 wins against teams like Belgium and Iran. I am surprised by the Netherlands in this World Cup, with all the goals they are scoring. But nobody really remembers how you play, we do not play beautiful, but we still win.

Greve (Ned): But not for the Dutch. I think we play beautifully and win too. Beautiful (football) is important and people remember.

WHO WILL WIN: VAN GAAL OR (ALEJANDRO) SABELLA?

Frydman (Arg): Van Gaal is definitely stronger because Sabella has no international experience apart from being assistant to (Daniel) Passarella. But we have (Lionel) Messi and he can change a game in seconds.

Cavalieri (Arg): Van Gaal and Sabella both see football similarly though. They start playing 5-3-2 and they do not care that is non-conventional and what other people thinks. Belgium’s coach (Marc Wilmots) said if they played like Argentina, the entire press will kill him. But who cares? Look at us, this is about the winning the game. Van Gaal is ‘arrogant’.

Van der Meer (Ned): What do you mean he is arrogant? He is authentic!

Van Loon (Ned): And you need to have guts like this to change the goalkeeper. That switch in the last minute against Costa Rica, you need to guts to do that, because if Krul performed poorly, Van Gaal will get the flak.

SO IS SABELLA LESS ‘GUTSY’ THAN VAN GAAL?

Frydman (Arg): Sabella finds it difficult to make tough decisions, he’s more conservative than Van Gaal. He waits till the last minute.

Cavalieri (Arg): And Messi influences his decision. After the first game, when Messi said we should play 4-3-3 because we are attackers, and Sabella changed his mind.

WILL LOSING THE 2010 WORLD CUP FINAL HAVE ANY EFFECT?

Van der Meer (Ned): Definitely! When we won 5-1 against Spain, it was a big confidence booster.

Riedijk (Ned): Van Gaal is the type who does not take any nonsense. He is somebody who can pull it off.

Van der Meer (Ned): For Van Gaal, Messi is just another player, he is more focused on the tactics and strategies.

HOW WOULD THE CURRENT ARGENTINA SIDE COMPARE TO THEIR WORLD CUP-WINNING TEAM OF 1986?

Frydman (Arg): Back then we had an innovative coach (Carlos Bilardo) and the team was more solid and balanced. Argentina were lucky because we could have lost the last match.

Cavalieri (Arg): That’s because we have the Pope! There’s also an added advantage because July 9 is also our National Day!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN THE WORLD CUP?

Riedijk (Ned): We were crying our eyes out when we lost the 2010 final.

Van Loon (Ned): It was miserable with people drinking and broken glasses everywhere.

Riedijk (Ned): You see, I would be more devastated if we were to lose against Germany than Brazil!

Greve (Ned): Who’s talking about losing? It’s not even an option!

Riedijk (Ned): We’re a small country! To make such a huge statement in the world that we are number one in football just makes me a thousand more times prouder to be Dutch!

Frydman (Arg): For Argentinians, it is an important ingredient in our lives!

Cavalieri (Arg): We follow all the statistics, we study as if it was another subject in our life!

Frydman (Arg): To make it through to the semi-finals after 24 years is already an achievement, winning it will give back our spotlight. Football is our life, I named my son after a footballer and my grandfather even donated bags of cement to build a stadium!

WHAT SUPERSTITIONS DO YOU HAVE?

Frydman (Arg): If we win or lose, I want to be surrounded with people who understand what I am feeling. I get very nervous. If we score a goal everybody must stay in the same spot, and I cannot wash my shirts!

Greve (Ned): It’s sports superstition! For this entire World Cup campaign, I’ve never washed my World Cup jersey!

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