Holland has used Charles Barkley as an unlikely source of motivation ahead of the USA last-16 clash as the team’s official Twitter account shared a viral clip of the NBA legend ‘guaranteed’ the Dutch are ‘in trouble’ before the World Cup showdown
Holland’s motivation to beat the USA in their World Cup round-of-16 showdown today came from an unlikely source: NBA legend Charles Barkley.
The US and Dutch will face off for a place in the quarter-finals of the tournament, with both sides successfully reaching the group stages in Qatar.
And after America booked their place in the final stages of the competition, Barkley quickly began the verbal jousting, insisting ‘we’re opening a can of whoop a** because I guarantee the Netherlands are in trouble.’
Holland’s Twitter account posted a clip previewing Saturday’s game against the USA
They mocked a US dollar bill with the face of their manager Louis van Gaal
Charles Barkley caused a storm earlier in the week by insisting the USA would beat Holland
That message went viral on Twitter, and quickly traveled to Europe, where the quick-thinking Dutch team used social media to their advantage.
Posting a video to capture the mood of fans on Saturday, they cut to Barkley’s words, with the message: ‘In Louis we trust. In this team we trust.’
In the video, they also doctored an American dollar bill to put the face of their own manager instead, with Van Gaal replacing George Washington.
The Dutch are favorites to beat America in the do-or-die last-16 showdown, but Gregg Berhalter’s side impressed throughout the group stage, beating Iran in their last match after creditable draws against Wales and England.
The USA squad, including former Newcastle man DeAndre Yedlin (C), celebrates after defeating Iran
The US team has performed impressively so far, but will be up against Holland again today
That put the USMNT in the public spotlight around the country, with more and more fans starting to tune in to watch the World Cup.
Barkley, of course, is among those who now follow the progress of the squad, and in his comments on Inside the NBA on TNT, he added: ‘Hey Tyler, my man No. 12. We’re going for it all.
‘I like Spain. I like Brazil. I like Germany. I like France. Oh, they got that kid [Kylian] Mbappe there in France. He is no joke but we will beat the Netherlands.’
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