The Netherlands World Cup team has been hit with a flu outbreak before the U.S. game because of the “extreme air conditioning” in the stadiums at the World Cup, via Alex Turk at express.co.uk:

The Dutch camp has been hit by a flu outbreak, likely due to the extreme air conditioning in Qatar, with crucial midfielder Frenkie de Jong among those affected.

On Friday, the eve of the World Cup knockout stages, (Manager Louis) Van Gaal confirmed that several squad members are struggling with ‘flu symptoms’. He insisted he wouldn’t say anything further, but admitted the prospect of the illness spreading around the camp was ‘worrying’.

He told NOS: “We are not going to elaborate on that. But if it goes around in the group, it is worrying.” When asked how many players were hit with the flu, Van Gaal played down the current impact, replying: “There are not fifteen or so. In principle, everyone is fit and available.”

Brazil also complained about the air conditioning during the group stage. Maybe the air conditioning is actually making people sick or maybe the Netherlands just didn’t prepare well enough. The air conditioning in Qatar has as much ventilation as a Dutch oven.

According to the US coach, the staff already got their flu out of the way via Joshua Robinson at WSJ:

“Almost every staff member had it,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said inside a chilly conference center. 

You gotta prepare for anything. I’m sure a U.S. coach was playing Ookie Mouth with Christian Pulisic when they first got there. It’s like when everyone who locked up a playoff spot early got “COVID” the last week of the NFL season so they didn’t have to test during the playoffs. Fletcher Cox threw a New Years party and twelve guys wound up on the injury report with COVID the week of the meaningless game against the Cowboys. Chess, not checkers.

P.S. Knowing the luck of the U.S. in the knockout stage, Netherlands’ best player is going to have his “flu game.”