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Football fans are well aware that Argentine player Angel Di Maria did not thrive during his time at Manchester United, and his stint with the club did not go as he had hoped. The Argentine winger arrived in Britain as a major star, having performed magical feats at Real Madrid. Di María was ready for a new challenge, and at that time, United was a highly sought-after destination for any footballer. There were high expectations that Di María would be the player to help ease the crisis at the club.
Even though a decade has passed since their collaboration, Angel Di Maria has not forgotten his least favorite coach. Louis van Gaal was Di Maria's manager at Manchester United, and it’s clear that they struggled to get along. At 36 years old, Di Maria boasts an impressive career, having won everything possible with Argentina, culminating in the 2022 World Cup. He began his career in Rosario and played key roles in teams like Benfica, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG, and Juventus. The titles he lacks are in Italy and England, where he had his toughest period, partly due to his poor relationship with then-Red Devils manager, Louis van Gaal.
In a Netflix documentary titled "Breaking Down the Wall," Di Maria labeled Van Gaal as the worst coach he has ever had, stating, "Louis van Gaal is the worst coach I have ever had and I will never tire of repeating that."
Di Maria also mentioned that Van Gaal had predicted Argentina wouldn't beat the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinals, but they did. He commented, "We beat them on penalties even though he said we wouldn't, because he knew everything. In the end, he had to eat his words."
Under Van Gaal, Di Maria played 32 games and scored only four goals, a fact that Van Gaal himself acknowledged. In a 2019 BBC interview, Van Gaal said, “Di Maria says that it's my problem. I put him in all attacking positions. You see that. He never convinced me in any of those positions.” Van Gaal added that Di Maria couldn't handle the constant pressure of the Premier League, which he saw as his problem.
At the time, Manchester United had spent around €200 million on transfers, with Di Maria being the biggest star, bought from Real Madrid for €75 million. Along with him, the team also signed Shaw, Herrera, and Rojo. They secured a place in the Champions League with a fourth-place finish, but Chelsea finished 17 points ahead, making it a disappointing season for the Old Trafford team.
Manchester United fans were never particularly pleased with Louis van Gaal’s time at the club. Despite arriving as a highly regarded manager, he didn’t achieve the results everyone hoped for, and his stint ended without much glory. Van Gaal had to move on in search of success elsewhere, and after his departure, United’s subsequent managerial appointments didn’t make a meaningful impact.
Now, another Dutch coach, Erik ten Hag, is facing similar challenges. This might be his final opportunity to change the fans' opinions and bring some much-needed success to Manchester United.
Angel Di Maria's career
Angel Di Maria hasn’t been the most popular figure among Manchester United fans, who were left unimpressed by his stint at the club. After just one season, he left United for PSG, where he enjoyed a successful seven-year run. He then had an interesting period at Juventus before joining Benfica last year.
Despite his mixed club career, Di Maria achieved great things on the international stage. He won the World Cup with Argentina alongside Lionel Messi and others and also claimed the Copa America. After the 2024 Copa America final, he decided to retire from international football. With 145 caps and 31 goals for Argentina, his international career was quite impressive.
Argentine fans are hoping he will return to Rosario Central, the club where he started playing at the age of four and began his professional career.
After leaving Manchester United, Louis van Gaal did not take on any new managerial roles until 2021, when he became the head coach of the Netherlands national team. Following the 2022 World Cup, Van Gaal made headlines by claiming that the tournament was rigged to ensure Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, would win. This statement has contributed to his unpopularity in Argentina, and it didn’t endear him to Angel Di María either, whom he managed during their time at United.
At 73, Van Gaal has received numerous offers, but he has no intention of returning to coaching. Instead, he seems to be pursuing other interests at this stage of his career.
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