Argentina, Netherlands Get Into Scrap Late in Heated World Cup Match

Tensions boiled over late in the quarterfinals match between the two powerhouses.

Tensions boiled over late in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals match between the Netherlands and Argentina. 

With Argentina leading 2–1 in the 88th minute, Argentine defensive midfielder Leandro Paredes made an errant tackle on Netherlands midfielder Nathan Aké and was whistled for a foul. The action didn’t stop there as Paredes then blasted the ball in the direction of the Dutch bench. 

Unsurprisingly, the Netherlands players did not take kindly to the projectile and immediately rushed out onto the field to confront Paredes. A scrum ensued as Dutch defender Virgil Van Dijk came over and shoved Pardes while the rest of the team tried to make their frustrations known.

Who among us has not mistaken the bench along the sideline for the goal after a crunching tackle? 😳

(via @FoxSoccer) pic.twitter.com/L14vsefo8S

— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) December 9, 2022

The referee was eventually able to get the players separated. Paredes was booked with a yellow card and play continued. 

The Netherlands, which trailed 2–0 after Lionel Messi’s penalty for Argentina in the 73rd minutes, rallied to score twice before the end of regulation. The benches cleared once again once the referee signaled for full time as both sides had to be shepherded back to their respective spots on the sideline. 

The two sides remain tied at 2–2 as extra time begins.