NETHERLANDS vs ARGENTINA PREVIEW: All You Need To Know

Argentina have reached their first World Cup semi-final since 1990, when they went on to finish runners-up to West Germany.

La Albiceleste have progressed from all three of their World Cup semi-finals.

These teams have met four times in the World Cup, with Netherlands winning twice and Argentina once, with one draw.


Argentina’s victory, in the 1978 final, is their only win against Netherlands in eight meetings overall (L4 D3).

Argentina have lost just one of their last 16 World Cup games (W12 D3, not including penalty shoot-outs).

Netherlands have lost two of their 12 World Cup games against South American teams, not including penalty shoot-outs (1978 final v Argentina and 1994 quarter-final v Brazil).

10 of the Netherlands’ 12 goals in this tournament have come after half-time.

Netherlands’ last four goals in this tournament have come after the 75th minute.

Netherlands made 692 passes against Costa Rica, the most they’ve recorded in a single World Cup match (1966-2014).

Lionel Messi (29), Arjen Robben and Angel Di María (both 25) are the players with most completed dribbles in this tournament.

Messi has also created the most goalscoring chances in this World Cup: 19.

Against Costa Rica Wesley Sneijder recorded the 10th instance of a player hitting the woodwork twice in a
World Cup match (1966 – 2014). He is the first Dutchman to do so.

Against Costa Rica, Netherlands recorded the 11th instance of a team hitting the woodwork three times in a World Cup match (1966 – 2014).

Argentina have won both their knockout stage games in this tournament 1-0; they have twice before won by
this scoreline in the knock out stages of the World Cup (1986 and 1990).

Netherlands’ 0-0 draw against Costa Rica was their first goalless draw in World Cup knockout stages. This ended a run of 11 World Cup knockout stage matches for the Dutch without a clean sheet.

This is the first time Argentina have reached a World Cup semi-final in a tournament when great rivals Brazil have also done so.

Argentina are yet to trail for a single minute of the 2014 World Cup.

Argentina have scored with 11% of their shots from outside the box, the best rate at the 2014 World Cup.

Argentina have made 86 unsuccessful crosses, more than any other side.

Netherlands are the only team to concede more than one penalty at the 2014 World Cup.