Louis van Gaal quits as Netherlands manager – but claims "I don't think I've been beaten today"

Louis van Gaal, Head Coach of Netherlands, speaks to the media in the post match press conference after a penalty shoot out loss during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarter final match between Netherlands and Argentina at Lusail Stadium on December 09, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar.
(Image credit: Maddie Meyer - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal confirmed that his side's defeat was the final match of his career.

Van Gaal had come out of retirement to manage the Dutch for a third spell, but is now 71 and recently battled cancer. Like at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, his team's hopes of glory were ended by a shoot-out defeat to Argentina, as a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina triumphed over his Oranje side.

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Chris Flanagan
Senior Staff Writer

Chris joined FourFourTwo in 2015 and has reported from more than 20 countries, in places as varied as Ivory Coast and the Arctic Circle. He's interviewed Pele, Zlatan and Santa Claus (it's a long story), as well as covering the World Cup, AFCON and the Clasico. He previously spent 10 years as a newspaper journalist, and completed the 92 in 2017.