The Netherlands was eliminated from the World Cup in the round of 16 by Morocco after a dramatic penalty shootout that ended 3-2, following a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes.
The Dutch team was just minutes away from progressing to the quarter-finals, thanks to Cody Gakpo’s goal in the 72nd minute. However, a last-minute equalizer from Diop in the 90+1 minute marked the start of a disappointing end for Ronald Koeman’s squad.
Ismael Saibari Sends the Netherlands Home
No changes occurred during extra time, leading to a tense penalty shootout where Morocco held their nerve to win 3-2. Ismael Saibari, of PSV Eindhoven, scored the decisive penalty that eliminated the Dutch.
Devastated, the Dutch internationals faced the cameras with heads bowed. “These are terrible moments for a footballer. The worst, really,” said Virgil van Dijk, captain of the Netherlands.
Virgil van Dijk: “It’s Hard to Analyze Right Now”
Struggling to find the words, Liverpool’s defender spoke about the match, stating, “It’s hard to analyze right now. It was an intense game. Unfortunately, we are eliminated. Sometimes things go well, of course, it can be better, but that doesn’t help us now.”
Jan Paul van Hecke also expressed the painful reality of the elimination, emphasizing the team’s hard work and dedication. “We fought hard for this, gave it all. It was a tough battle. But anything I say now is pointless. It hurts so much for the country and for the team,” said the Tottenham defender, who recently transferred from Brighton for €60 million.
Rafael van der Vaart Criticizes Frenkie de Jong
TV analysts took aim at Frenkie de Jong for his poor performance. Former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart questioned coach Ronald Koeman’s decision to start him. “You had a fairly tough group, which you managed well. Then you think: things start to come together. Against Sweden, they scored five goals. What goes through a coach’s mind to completely change everything against Morocco? I don’t understand it at all,” he remarked.
Van der Vaart criticized De Jong’s performance as one of the worst he had ever seen, remarking on the problematic midfield setup against Morocco, which he deemed unimpressive without enough players to compete effectively.
