Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has criticised FIFA for continuing to employ a third-place playoff at the World Cup, claiming that it is a needless exercise.

After suffering semi-final heartbreak by losing to Argentina in a penalty shootout on Wednesday, Van Gaal's side now gear up to take on Brazil to determine who finishes third.

The Dutch have one day fewer recovery time than the Selecao for Saturday's clash in Brasilia, and the 62-year-old has slammed the redundant nature of such a fixture.

"I think this match should never be played and I've been saying this for 10 years," he told reporters. "It is unfair we have one day less to recover than our opponent, so that is not fair play either.

"And, in a tournament in which you've played so marvellously well, you would go home as a loser just because you could possibly have lost the last two matches, and this has got nothing to do with sports in my view.

"So in a football tournament, particularly not at the last stage, you shouldn't have players playing a match for third-fourth place. Because there is only one award that counts and that is becoming world champion."

Saturday's encounter kicks off at 9pm.

Written by
Shane Callaghan