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Netherlands star Frenkie de Jong has made the honest admission that he doesn't know how to stop Lionel Messi ahead of their crunch encounter with Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The two nations are set to clash in the quarter-finals on Friday (9 December) at the Lusail Stadium for a place in the last four.
The winners of Group A, Netherlands, saw off USA 3-1 in the round of 16 while Argentina, who topped Group C, beat Australia 2-1 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Both teams are packed with quality options, but all the pre-match focus is on how the Oranje will manage Messi, the single biggest threat coming from the La Ableceleste.
De Jong played two seasons with Messi at Barcelona before the Argentine's departure from the club in 2021. He was recently asked if he knew how to keep the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner under control.
De Jong offered a hilarious response, saying (via AFC Ajax):
"Well, no. I know him but I don't know how to stop him. He's been making the difference for 15 years and there is not one way to stop him otherwise everyone would have done it. I think we have to stop him as a team and that is not one person's job."
Lionel Messi has struck three goals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup so far, including one in his side's victory over Australia, which marked his first goal in the knockout stages of the competition.
It also took the forward past Diego Maradona's record of eight goals for Argentina in World Cups. The Paris Saint-Germain forward will now be looking to hit double digits in the competition with another goal on Friday.
Is Lionel Messi playing his last FIFA World Cup with Argentina?
Messi is playing in his fifth FIFA World Cup with Argentina and this might as well be his last, considering he is 35 years old now.
The PSG ace himself confirmed the speculation in October when he said the Qatar 2022 is 'for sure' the last of his international career.
Even though he could have a change of heart and continue playing, Lionel Messi will be 39 when the next edition arrives. It's hard to see him leading the line for Argentina at that age.
The current edition of the tournament presents Messi a final opportunity to win the prize he's long coveted and join Diego Maradona in the pantheon of the Argentinian World Cup winners.
