It is the retreat of a football or basketball team.
The question is legitimate, given that Virgil Van Dijk, who is 1.95 tall and the goalkeeper Andries Noppert, former 'twelfth' of Foggia, who measures 2.02, present themselves to speak for Holland.
Friday evening there is the challenge with Argentina which is giving away a place in the six-finals of Qatar 2022 and revives the emotions of when, in 2014, the Albiceleste and the orange faced each other in the semifinals and won on penalties Messi and partners .
And the Flea is Van Gaal's main concern, who coaches the Netherlands now as then.
Argentina is a strong team - says Van Dijk ., and that has one of the best footballers of all time, but we are very well prepared to deal with all this.
We will not play against Messi, but against a team". "Certainly Messi made history - admits the Dutch defender - because together with Cristiano Ronaldo he characterized the last 15 years of football, and for Leo, as for the other, we will utmost respect.
It will be an honor to play against Messi.
But, I repeat, it's not the Netherlands against Messi, it's the Netherlands against Argentina, no one can win a match completely alone."
But can the memory of the 2014 semi-final weigh in any way?
"For me, historical precedents don't count - he replies -, but this is a special match as it is the quarter-final of a World Cup, and I am proud to have reached this point and to have the possibility of reaching the semi-finals. And therefore - he adds - to approach the dream we've always had.
We're three games away from what we've always wanted (the final, ed.)".
But is there a risk of ending up on penalties this time too?
"I sincerely hope for us, but we are also prepared for this. Of course, however, it is one thing to do it in training when nobody is there and another in a stadium full of people."