All Oranje players ready to play, but some sick with a cold

The Dutch men's national football team started their last training session on Friday afternoon in the run-up to the Round of 16 match against the United States at the World Cup. All 26 players on the selection appeared on Field 6 at Qatar University at 2:30 p.m. Netherlands time.

It was a bit uncertain earlier this week if defenders Jeremie Frimpong and Stefan de Vrij would be available for the game against America. Frimpong suffered an injury to his right ankle on Wednesday, but was able to train with the group again a day later. The same applied to De Vrij, who did some solo running exercises on a side field on Wednesday.

Some of the Dutch players, such as midfielder Marten de Roon and Frenkie de Jong earlier in the week, fell ill with a cold. It has consistently been 30 degrees or warmer in Doha during the daytime. Air conditions have been running strong in the stadiums, hotels, taxis and buses, leading many to come down with a cold. "If this is going around in the group, then it is worrying," national coach Louis van Gaal said to NOS on Friday.

It was not clear which other players have a cold. Everyone was fit enough to participate in the final training. Van Gaal will most likely be able to choose from all 26 of his players available against the United States on Saturday.

Van Gaal decided on an adapted training session on Thursday. He skipped the traditional scrimmage game between the intended starters and substitutes, as he usually does two days before a match. "I gave them a day of rest," he said, noting that his team is capable of telling them when they need something. "I listen to my players."

De Roon joined the press with a nasally voice on Thursday. "I have a bit of a cold, but otherwise I feel fine," said the midfielder, who had a starting place in the last group match against Qatar (2-0), and played football near De Jong, who was a bit sick before the match with Ecuador. "I played a little too close to him, I think," joked De Roon.

The United States team's trainer, Gregg Berhalter, was not surprised when he heard that several players on the Dutch team have a cold. “We are all suffering from that here,” he said. "Even I felt terrible for a few days. It's really because of those air conditioners."

The Dutch team's training on Friday was only public for the first fifteen minutes. The journalists present then had to leave, after which Van Gaal continued behind closed doors.

Saturday's winner will take a place in the quarterfinals, where the victorious team will take on Argentina or Australia. Those two countries will also compete against each other in the Round of 16 on Saturday.