Lionel Scaloni: Messi has proven he is the best of all time

Nahuel Molina and Lionel Messi scored for

but Wout Weghorst scored twice late in the game to force extra time. Argentina eventually claimed a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout victory and now will face Croatia in the semifinal.

Scaloni said:

"Argentina have team spirit because we know how to face every situation in the game.

"It's true we did not deserve to go to a penalty shoot-out but we fought to the end because the Dutch caused trouble for us.

"It was a strange second half. When you think everything is over and then it is not you are surprised.

"This team has pride, experience as well as young players, and this is key as we want to fight."

Scaloni also said Lionel Messi showed that he is the best of all time with his performance against the Netherlands.

He said:

"Today Leo (Messi) showed that he is the best of all time."

The Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz showed 15 cards in this match to set a new record for a

match. Lionel Messi criticized him after the match but Scaloni refused to discuss referring decisions.

Scaloni said:

"I don't want to talk about the referee, I have a very good relationship with him and luckily everything turned out well.

"The game was heated, this was a quarter-final, it happens. It stays on the pitch but we had 11 men out there."

Scaloni also was asked about the Netherlands' approach in the final minutes to send long balls toward Weghorst and Luuk De Jong.

He said:

"I won't enter this debate. They played in a way I didn't expect but they were almost out of the World Cup, each coach works out how they want to play.

"I won't talk about their philosophy, I am no-one to judge how they played."

manager, Louis van Gaal also said he has no regrets over this match and is proud of his players.

The 71-year-old has previously announced that he will retire following the World Cup.

He said:

"There's nothing to reproach myself for. The boys fought until the bitter end and now they are in the dressing room feeling despondent. They gave everything, I am incredibly proud.

"I had a wonderful time. It's incredibly painful to go out like this, especially as I did everything I could to prevent this from happening.

"What I am leaving is an excellent group, as people and footballers. I was the coach for 20 games and we didn't lose any of them. There is a reason for that."

Follow

for the