Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Lusai Stadium

There is a small patch of orange behind one goal amid a sea of light blue and white inside Lusail Stadium. The Dutch supporters will be hugely outnumbered but Louis van Gaal and his players do not look or sound like a group who will be intimidated by that.

It is remarkable just how many Argentina fans are in here.

This is a game steeped in World Cup history - however the last two matches have seen no goals across 210 minutes of action.

A goalless draw in the 2006 group stage, then scoreless in the 2014 semi-final before Argentina won on penalties.

Will we go all the way to spot-kicks again? We've already had penalty drama today...

Image source, Getty Images

Cody Gakpo was already on the radar prior to this World Cup. His form for club PSV Eindhoven ensured that. His 13 goals and 17 assists in 24 club games are hardly going to go unnoticed.

However, his displays at this World Cup have lifted his profile to a whole new level.

He has three goals to his name, one in each of his country's trio of group games. He has proven himself the perfect spearhead for a side looking to contain and then ruthless rip an opponent apart on the break. He's quick, skilful and knows how to finish.

Not that this will currently be on his mind, but the vultures are already circling ahead of the January transfer window. And they are bigger, richer birds than they were last summer.

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC One

The Netherlands want to hit you on the counter attack with the pace they have up front.

It is going to be fascinating tonight with say Lionel Messi and whether they go tight and man mark him. They are comfortable in what they want to do, they want to draw you on and they are so organised.

They will make it very tough for Argentina tonight.

Julian Alvarez has scored in each of his two World Cup starts – only three Argentina players have scored in their first three; Guillermo Stabile in 1930, Oreste Corbatta in 1958 and Hernan Crespo in 2006.

If he starts and scores in this match, at 22 years and 312 days of age, he'd be the youngest to score in his first three World Cup starts since Teofilo Cubillas in 1970 (21y 94d).

Image source, Getty Images

Lionel Messi has scored nine goals at the World Cup, second only to Gabriel Batistuta (10) for Argentina. His opener against Australia last time out was his first goal in the knockout stages of the competition.

Rio Ferdinand
Former England defender on BBC One

Robin van Persie loved Louis van Gaal. He told me that tactically he set them up and told them how things would unfold and it generates confidence. Netherlands are 19 unbeaten since he has come back.

He is a force of nature and a fantastic person to be around and you need that at tournaments, someone inspirational at the helm.

Memphis Depay has been involved in 34 goals in his last 30 appearances for Netherlands in all competitions, scoring 24 and assisting 10.

Guillem Balague
Spanish football journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

The Argentina players are walking onto the pitch alongside a myth, alongside a legend.

Argentina fans are celebrating a god.

For us, it’s history every time Lionel Messi walks onto a pitch.

Image source, Getty Images

Netherlands have progressed from their last three World Cup quarter-final matches (1998, 2010, 2014), with their only defeat at this stage coming in 1994 against eventual winners Brazil.

Argentina have been eliminated from three of their last four World Cup quarter-final matches, though they did win their last such match against Belgium in 2014. In each of the three World Cup quarter-final matches they've progressed from, they've ended up reaching the final (1986, 1990 and 2014).

Since losing the 1930 final against Uruguay, each of Argentina's last nine eliminations from the World Cup knockout rounds (including finals) have come against European nations, including a 2-1 loss to Netherlands in the 1998 quarter-final.

This will be the sixth World Cup meeting between Netherlands and Argentina, with only Brazil against Sweden (7) and Argentina against Germany (7) being played more often in the competition.

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

Talking to an Argentina fan on the way into the ground about Brazil's shock exit and he was telling me, they were the only team they were worried about,

I wonder if those words will come back to haunt him...

Image source, BBC Sport

Whoever wins this tie, it is likely to mean the end of the road for at least one footballing legend at a World Cup.

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal is probably in his last job in management, while this is almost certainly Argentina icon Lionel Messi's final tournament on this stage.

Van Gaal is doing things differently to the traditional 4-3-3 the Dutch usually play, but they have been effective, even if they are not exactly beautiful to watch in the way their great teams of the past were.

Argentina have played with a little more panache on their way to this stage, helped by some pieces of brilliance from Messi, but they are a team with issues of their own.

You can definitely get at them and create chances, and I feel like Netherlands forwards Depay and Cody Gakpo might get some good opportunities.

Have I mentioned before now that the Netherlands are my left-field pick for the tournament? As I said, they don't play the prettiest football, but they get the job done. I'm sticking with them here, too.

Argentina's fans are the best at this World Cup; they are certainly the loudest. Any team with Messi in their side won't go quietly, but they might be heading home soon.

Prediction: 2-1 to the Netherlands

• Chris Sutton's full World Cup quarter-finals predictions

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC One

Louis van Gaal is the oldest and most experienced manager in the competition and he seems to have a really good team spirit.

Having looked at the result that has just happened with Brazil going out...what an incentive.

Rio Ferdinand
Former England defender on BBC One

For the last 15 years Lionel Messi has been unlocking teams and tactics designed for him. In games like this he comes alive.

You hope that Lionel Messi comes alive today. As a football fan you come to stages and stadiums like this and you want to see the greatest players perform.

Image source, Getty Images

Louis van Gaal is one of the most decorated managers in football, but his biggest challenge has been off the pitch since being diagnosed with cancer nearly two years ago.

The Netherlands boss revealed in April he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer, which he had hidden from his players in an effort to maintain their focus before the World Cup.

Van Gaal lost his first wife, Fernanda, to cancer in 1994 when she was 39 and given what the 71-year-old has faced in the build-up to the Netherlands' campaign in Qatar, when his side line up for their quarter-final against Argentina on Friday (19:00 GMT), it will be a significant moment.

Read more here.

Pablo Zabaleta
Ex-Man City and Argentina defender on BBC One

European teams have dominated the last three or four World Cup tournaments. Today will be a tricky game for Argentina against the Netherlands.

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

The song that has gone BIG with Argentina fans this tournament is already reverberating around this place.

La Mosca's 'Muchachos, Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar' - Lionel Messi's favourite tune apparently - is an absolute banger.

OK, so I referenced it earlier, but now I'm going to revel in it.

Dennis Bergkamp. Netherlands v Argentina. 4 July 1998. World Cup quarter final. Stade Velodrome, Marseille.

The long ball forward from Frank de Boer was good. The first touch from the Arsenal forward was sublime, the second touch inside Roberto Ayala glorious and the finish to win the game stunning.

Watch it. Watch it again. Just keep watching it. It's absolute wonderful.

If you can, dig out that clip of Dutch commentary that has been doing the rounds to really hear someone who appreciates it. Dennis Bergkamp. Dennis Bergkamp! DENNIS BERGKAMP! DENNIS BERGKAMP!