Netherlands (National Football)

The Netherlands' World Cup run is still alive, but you can already celebrate their progress to the semi-finals with a commemorative coin showing Robin van Persie's headed goal against Spain.

That strike in the famous 5-1 win over the defending champions kick-started Louis van Gaal's campaign, and the Dutch have reached the semi-finals where they take on Argentina on Wednesday.

For €9.95, you can now buy a coin depicting that RVP header, as produced by the Royal Dutch Mint. The Dutch crest is on the reverse.

In a limited-edition run, 6,000 of the coins have been produced.

Therefore, if you want one, you'll need to act a bit quicker than the Spanish defence.

[Who Ate All The Pies]

Ultimately, it was bringing on penalty-killing goalkeeper Tim Krul that changed the foundations of the Netherlands’ quarter-final effort against Costa Rica. But before this crucial substitution, Oranje had already shown that their boss Louis van Gaal had been spot on with all of his decisions.

The first problem Van Gaal had to solve, before the match had even started, was the gap left by the injured Nigel de Jong. Who to replace the holding midfielder, who had been crucial to the Netherlands’ ability to gain possession and break down the opposition’s attacking moves during the group stage?

Daley Blind, who usually plays as a defensive midfielder for his club Ajax, would have been a logical option. But putting Blind in midfield would mean dragging him away from the left-back position, where he had been a big influence as a wing-back, for example during the Netherlands’ group-stage match against Spain, when he provided the assist for Robin van Persie’s headed wonder goal.

Other possibilities included Feyenoord’s Jordy Clasie and Swansea’s Jonathan de Guzman. But while both of these players are good footballers in their own right, they’re in no way similar to De Jong, who could not only tackle very well but who also brought a bit of spice and venom to the Netherlands’ relatively young midfield setup.

Undoubtedly aware of this, Van Gaal decided to go the other direction and not replace De Jong at all. Rather than asking a different player to play in De Jong’s style, the boss decided to use a different trump card, in a whole other section of the pitch. That trump card was called Memphis Depay.

Depay, who played as a left-winger, was asked to provide Oranje with extra firepower up front, offering Oranje more options against a very defensive Costa Rica. Having scored the winning goal against Australia, during the group stage, and having bagged another against Chile, Depay had already shown he was capable of that.

During the match, Van Gaal successfully responded to the developments on the pitch. During the second half, when it was apparent that the Costa Rican defence was tiring, Van Gaal took off Depay for Jeremain Lens. In many ways, this was a like-for-like substitution: Both players are left-wingers.

But Lens’ best attribute is his pace. As Costa Rica was advancing a little bit more than they had done during the first half, Van Gaal went for a player who could try to expose Costa Rica’s higher back line more easily.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who had scored the winning goal against Mexico in the round of 16, was brought in during the second half of extra time. Arguably, he should have been put forward sooner.

But Van Gaal was biding his time here. More than anything, he wanted to save one of his substitutions, in case it came to penalties.

What if one of his players became injured? Such a scenario could have ruined the manager’s master plan. In the end, Van Gaal managed to make exactly the right calls. From his decision not to replace De Jong to the substitution of Jasper Cillessen for Krul, the manager’s decision-making was decisive.

In football, it’s the players actually on the pitch who win you matches. But a manager is there to create the right circumstances for his players to thrive. Against Costa Rica, Van Gaal once again proved he is a master at doing exactly that.

The Netherlands defeated Costa Rica after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer, but the drama hit a climax following a goalie switch before the penalty shootout ensued. Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal decided to switch Jasper Cillessen with Newcastle keeper Tim Krul, who is two inches taller. 

After his team won the shootout 4-3, Van Gaal's substitution will go down as one of the gutsiest coaching decisions in World Cup history. After another superb performance, unfortunately in defeat, Costa Rican keeper Keylor Navas solidified himself as the best goalie of the World Cup.

Both teams were unsuccessful in their attempts to score a goal in regulation and extra time. Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben created numerous chances for the Oranje, but Navas, and a little assistance from the post, denied the Dutch an opportunity to end the game. Navas saved seven shots and kept the Costa Rican defense stout throughout the match.

The 27-year-old tallied a total of 21 saves with only two goals allowed in the tournament. 

Just as the end of the second half of extra time came to an end, Van Gaal made the bold decision. It was the first time a goalie was subbed in the World Cup solely for penalty kicks. Krul, no penalty-kick master in any sense, saved a mere two of 20 penalties for his club team.

Wonderful performances by Guillermo Ochoa and Tim Howard cannot be overlooked, but I believe Navas was the superior keeper throughout the World Cup. Many on Twitter felt the same. His 21 saves were fourth-best among World Cup keepers. He also played more minutes than any other goalie. 

Krul's 6'4" frame may have saved two Costa Rican shots to send his country to the semifinals, but he also employed the art of trash-talking. Cameras showed Krul giving demonstrative words of discouragement to the Costa Rican free-kick takers before their shots.

Perhaps Krul is a fan of legendary NBA trash-talkers such as Larry Bird, Reggie Miller or Michael Jordan. He definitely shares their ability to come up big in the clutch while talking smack.

Van Gaal, recently hired by Manchester United, made the gutsiest decision in World Cup history. He put the fate of his country in the hands of his backup goalkeeper.

Imagine the headlines if Costa Rica had won the match. Van Gaal made a decision that no other manager before him has, and his side will now face Argentina for an opportunity to return to the World Cup final and capture the first title for the Oranje.

Although his side lost, Keylor Navas was voted Man of the Match by FIFA officials. After besting a crowded field of excellent keepers, his services will be highly sought after in the club levels.

Van Gaal will surely have enormous support from Manchester United fans after their future manager has taken his club to the semifinals after an incredibly bold coaching decision.

Unless the Netherlands find themselves in another penalty shootout, Krul will not see the field again the rest of the tournament. Regardless, he has as large a fingerprint on their World Cup campaign as any other teammate or coach. Krul made history in Brazil on Saturday, and that can never be taken from him.

A "lottery," some people call them, the penalty shootouts that must ultimately decide knockout-stage matches that end in a draw. A sequence of events nearly impossible to influence, no matter how much you train, practice or theorise.

Some teams clasp hands when they’re forced to take part in one, a million thoughts racing through their heads as the eyes of the world are fixed upon them. Others simply surrender, ready to accept whatever will come.

None of that with Louis van Gaal. Instead of going into the Netherlands’ penalty shootout with Costa Rica, the Holland boss decided to take a more proactive approach, substituting first-choice goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen for reserve keeper Tim Krul during the dying minutes of extra time.

When it became apparent the substitution would take place, it wasn't immediately clear what the motivation behind it was. True, Cillessen was not known as a penalty-killer, but was Tim Krul truly that much better?

As it turned out: Yes, he certainly was. Stopping two of Costa Rica’s penalties, the Newcastle United man denied his opponents their path to victory like an unbeatable gatekeeper. Bringing on Krul had been a masterstroke by the manager.

Van Gaal voiced his satisfaction with his decision after the game, as BBC Sport reported, saying, "We all thought Tim was the best keeper to stop penalties. He is taller and has a longer reach. It worked out. That was beautiful. I'm a bit proud of that."

It even looked like Krul had managed to win the shootout before Costa Rica took their first penalty. Pacing frantically, verbally shouting at his opponents to intimidate them, the goalkeeper almost looked frightening. If Costa Rica weren’t nervous already, now they certainly were.

The mere fact that the bold move had happened must have affected the Costa Ricans as well. Had any of them ever seen something like that before? What was it about, and how would it affect the upcoming shootout—or "lottery"?

Many teams go into penalty shootouts with a certain defeatist attitude. By taking off Cillessen for Krul, Van Gaal did something radically different. Always looking to influence the matches his teams are playing, the Dutch boss was willing to use every weapon available to him.

In many ways, it takes a cold, analytical view on the game to make such a move. Of course, it was harsh on Cillessen, the goalkeeper who had served Oranje well during the group stage. But this was about winning a quarter-final. Van Gaal saw the opportunity to influence the match, and so he did.

It was like going all-in in a poker match. Had it gone the other way, if Krul had failed, the Netherlands, and their boss with them, would have been embarrassed. But the experienced and seasoned veteran, Van Gaal was willing to face that.

According to Hannah Duncan of Metro, Van Gaal was hailed as a genius for his tactical switch:

Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas had been the hero throughout the 120 minutes, keeping Robin van Persie and co. at bay, but Cillessen pulled off a fine stop with his legs just minutes from the end of extra time to keep Holland in contention.

But newly appointed Manchester United boss Van Gaal’s decision to bring on Krul was proved correct as he saved from both Bryan Ruiz and Michael Umana to book Holland’s place in the last four, where the Dutch join Germany, Brazil and Argentina.

Ultimately, of course, it was the players who did. It was Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Dirk Kuyt who converted their penalties. Van Gaal had simply helped to create favourable circumstances.

But arguably, in football, that’s exactly what managers are for. They can’t change everything, but from the dugout they do what they can to help their players flourish.

It worked out great for the Dutch, for whom everything seems to be going right this World Cup—even when they aren't.

The Netherlands continue their World Cup journey on Saturday, taking on Costa Rica in the quarter-finals in Salvador.

On paper, it looks as if Louis van Gaal’s Dutch side have an easy ride into the last four, but the Costa Ricans will big to differ.

Having progressed through Group D as winners at the expense of Italy, Uruguay and England before defeating Greece on penalties, Costa Rica have proved they can produce a scalp or two and will be hoping for more of the same on Saturday.

Venue: Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador

Date: Saturday, 5 July

Time: 9 p.m. BST / 4 p.m. ET

TV Info: BBC One (UK) / ESPN (U.S.)
Live Stream: BBC iPlayer (UK) / ESPN Player (U.S.)

Costa Rica’s Journey Coming to an End?

Though the Costa Ricans’ story is an inspirational tale, defeating the highly rated Netherlands could just be a bit too tough for Jorge Luis Pinto’s side.

Finding their way to famous victories against Italy and Uruguay in the group stage, Costa Rica have won lots of fans for their thrilling style of play in Brazil, but they could just be tactically outwitted by the Netherlands.

Van Gaal sets his side up with a brick wall, 5-3-2 formation, and invites sides to attack before lethally catching them on the counter attack.

Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben have been vital behind such a system for the Dutch, threatening the opposition goal more than any others and scoring six goals between them—as OptaJohan’s statistics reveal:

Per FIFA.com, Robben, who has arguably been the player of the tournament so far, recently said the Dutch are determined to go as far as they can but can’t underestimate Costa Rica on their mission for glory:

We are on a mission together, and when you come to a World Cup it's not to enjoy the weather and enjoy the beach in Rio. You're here to win matches and to go as far as possible. Costa Rica have a very good team, they have already proved that in their group, which was very tough, with Italy, England and Uruguay in there. They've been really impressive and we'll have to prepare very well if we're going to beat them.

Beating them will mean the Bayern Munich man and his partner in crime Van Persie will have to be at their best, but if the form book is anything to go by, then there could be more Dutch delight in Salvador.

The Netherlands showed incredible spirit to come from behind to beat Mexico in the dying embers of their round-of-16 tie—leading Rio Ferdinand to believe they could go all the way:

However, Costa Rica showed a similar determination in their tie, defeating Greece on penalties after playing a large spell of the match with 10 men.

It summed up how stubborn Pinto’s men have been all tournament, and in Bryan Ruiz, they have a player in form.

The Fulham man has scored two crucial goals in the World Cup so far, showing a devastating finishing touch when in the advanced positions—as Squawka Football revealed:

His performances are a cut above anything he’s ever produced in the Premier League, and the Costa Ricans will once again be turning to their captain for inspiration on Saturday.

That being said, the Netherlands just have the technical class to outwit Ruiz and co. in Salvador and should be able to progress to the last four.

It’s clear Van Gaal wants to go out of international management with a bang, and he’s now just three games away from doing that in the best possible fashion by leading the Dutch to World Cup glory.

Getting the better of Costa Rica means being tactically perfect and not underestimating the opposition, but the 62-year-old has been around the block enough times to know how to cope in such a situation and will lead the Dutch to the semi-finals.

Prediction: Netherlands 2-0 Costa Rica

In their World Cup opener against Spain, Netherlands were off to a flying start, thrashing their opponents 5-1 and completely dominating the second half with apparent ease. Importantly, it wasn't just a team effort; scoring goal after goal, Netherlands forwards Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie just seemed too good for any defender to handle.

But during the second half of the Netherlands' second match of the group stage, against Australia, Van Persie and Robben looked inefficient. No matter how hard they tried, they were unable to find the net, despite dominating possession and Australia's decision to sit back and defend their lead by relying on their back line.

A similar scenario transpired during Netherlands' round-of-16 match against Mexico. After taking a 1-0 lead right after half-time, Oranje's opponents dug deep, inviting pressure and defending the goal line tooth and nail.

Ultimately, both Australia's and Mexico's efforts were fruitless. In both matches, Netherlands managed to turn things around shortly before the final whistle, all thanks to manager Louis van Gaal's clever substitutions and tactical switches.

Against both Australia and Mexico, Van Gaal changed from his defensive and counter-attacking 5-3-2 formation to his tried-and-trusted 4-3-3. This usually involved bringing in Memphis Depay, the pacy winger who made it possible for the Dutch to play with three attackers.

In their usual 4-3-3, the standard formation during Netherlands' qualifying campaign, the Dutch were much more capable of putting pressure on the ball and conquering possession in advanced positions. What's more, 4-3-3 provided them with extra attacking options. Where 5-3-2 is largely reliant on Van Persie's and Robben's abilities to find space behind the opponent's defensive line, 4-3-3 makes it easier to tear down defensive walls by patiently building up solid attacks.

Much like Australia and Mexico, it is likely that Costa Rica will employ a defensive tactic against Netherlands. Like they did during their group-stage matches against Uruguay, Italy and England, as well as their round-of-16 effort against Greece, the Costa Ricans will likely look to play on the counter.

Should Van Gaal once again decide to start with a 5-3-2 formation, the Dutch might once again find themselves with a lack of variety up front and a stalemate that could ultimately lead to extra time and even penalties.

This a risk Van Gaal will want to avoid, and therefore it's likely he will tweak his tactics to 4-3-3, like he did against Australia and Mexico, either from the start of the match or at some point in the second half. Against a defensive side like Costa Rica, it's unwise to rely solely on Robben and Van Persie to score goals.

To employ a 4-3-3 formation, Van Gaal will likely turn to Depay again. With the PSV youngster, who scored the winning goal against Australia, cutting in from the left, space will undoubtedly be created for the likes of Van Persie and Wesley Sneijder, who would play in more central positions, providing the Costa Rican defence with new and difficult problems.

But that won't be all. Looking for ways to pierce through Costa Rica's sturdy back line, Van Gaal will not just look at the match through a tactical perspective, but through the eyes of a people manager as well.

During Netherlands' group stage matches, when it already seemed obvious the Dutch would advance to the next round, Van Gaal consistently refused to bring on an undoubtedly frustrated Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. With Van Gaal seemingly preferring Depay and Jeremain Lens, it looked like Huntelaar would not be given any playing time at all this World Cup.

Then, during the round-of-16 match against Mexico, Huntelaar unexpectedly came on. Motivated to the core to finally show he can be of value, he provided the assist for Sneijder's equaliser and scored the winning goal by confidently converting a penalty.

Although it's difficult to find out for sure, Van Gaal's reluctance to bring on Huntelaar during the group stage might have been part of a master plan. Perhaps Van Gaal saw Huntelaar as a wild card, to be used when it was absolutely vital for Netherlands to score a goal.

Against a defensive-minded Costa Rica, they might find themselves in a similar situation. Playing against a reactive rather than proactive team, it will not be enough to rely solely on Robben and Van Persie. Attackers like Huntelaar and Depay will be needed as well.

Having turned things around against Australia and Mexico, though, Van Gaal will not be afraid to use all of his tricks—tactical and motivational—to see his side advance to the semi-final.

Having scored 12 times in four matches, the Netherlands have had one of the most productive front lines of the tournament so far.

As the focal point of manager Louis van Gaal’s 5-3-2 formation, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben have been constitutive to Oranje’s attacking setup. Looking at the system employed for much of the tournament, they would seem, at first glance, largely responsible for the Netherlands’ success up front.

But a closer look at the tactical tinkering Van Gaal has done in the Netherlands’ campaign so far reveals that Memphis Depay has played an equally important role for Oranje, especially in the later stages of matches.

In the match against Australia, during the group stage, Memphis Depay delivered an all-important assist and scored the winning goal. Against Chile, the match that saw the Netherlands finishing top of their group, he scored the 2-0 goal, sealing the match and sending the Chileans on to play against Brazil in the round of 16.

During the Netherlands’ round-of-16 effort against Mexico, Depay exerted major influence on the match as well, even though he didn’t score or deliver an assist.

This was because Van Gaal used Depay to change the Netherlands’ formation and confuse the opposition, as he did during the match against Australia. Using this method, the Dutch managed to overload the opposition’s defence during the final phases of the match.

Whenever Depay is brought on, the Netherlands usually change from 5-3-2 to 4-3-3, the formation they used during their qualifying campaign. Since his days as manager of Ajax, it has been Van Gaal’s preferred setup. 

This switch usually involves taking off a centre-back, with Bruno Martins Indi sometimes moving to left-back, and Daley Blind to the position of defensive midfielder—the role he often fulfills for his club Ajax.

With Arjen Robben on the right, Depay can then function as left winger. Wesley Sneijder remains a No. 10, while Van Persie leads the attack as the main striker. 

Just as Robben often does from the right, Depay likes to cut inside to use his prefered foot to shoot at goal. This leaves space for Martins Indi or Blind, the full-back, to look for the overlap.

This was exactly how Depay managed to score the winning goal against Australia. After moving away from the flank and looking for space in a more central position, he slotted the ball past the Australian goalkeeper from a distance.

Against Chile, when he scored the Netherlands’ second goal shortly before the final whistle sounded, Depay put his pace on display by sprinting halfway across the pitch to receive Robben’s assist and tap the ball into the net.  

While Robben and Van Persie are the key men in Van Gaal’s 5-3-2 formation, Depay allows the Dutch manager to easily switch to 4-3-3. As an added bonus, a player such as Depay is a welcome attacking impetus in his own right as well. 

A 4-3-3 system allows the Dutch to press higher up the pitch. Against tired opponents, in the final phases of the match, this often proves to be lethal, as was the case against Chile and Australia.

What’s more, it seems to downright confuse opponents, who seemingly often prepare to counter the Netherlands’ 5-3-2, not their very different 4-3-3.

This is also why Van Gaal apparently sees Depay, not Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, as his go-to super sub. Rather than just subbing like-for-like, Van Gaal uses Depay to change the tactical outlook of a match. 

Robben and Van Persie are not the only players essential to the Netherlands’ way of attacking. With the tactical depth he is able to provide, Depay is pivotal as well.

Despite trailing 1-0 for nearly 40 minutes and being shut out for more than 87 minutes, the Netherlands rallied for one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history on Sunday, becoming the first team to win a knockout-stage game after trailing in the 88th minute or later, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Thanks to a 48th-minute goal from midfielder Giovani Dos Santos, Mexico held a 1-0 lead going into the 88th minute, with sights set on breaking their painful World Cup streak.

Mexico had advanced past the group stage in each of the last five Cups, only to fall in the round of 16 each and every time.

It looked like things would go different for the Mexicans this time until Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder sent a rocket into the back of the net in the 88th minute.

Arjen Robben was then controversially fouled in the box two minutes into stoppage time, which led to a Klaas-Jan Huntelaar penalty shot two minutes later to send the Netherlands through to the quarterfinals.

The Dutch were the only team to score double-digit goals during the group stage but had a hard time breaking through against a Mexico side that allowed only one score in its first three matches.

Nevertheless, the Dutch secured their spot in the quarterfinals, where they will play a Costa Rica side that has allowed only two goals in four matches in Brazil.