Ronald Koeman, aged 63, has stepped down from his role as the head coach of the Dutch national football team just one day after their elimination from the 2026 World Cup. The Netherlands lost to Morocco 2-3 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in regular time.
The Netherlands took the lead in the match in the 72nd minute with a goal from Cody Gakpo. However, Morocco equalized in stoppage time thanks to Issa Diop’s goal in the 90+1 minute, pushing the match into extra time.
During the penalty shootout, Dutch players Teun Koopmeiners and Wout Weghorst scored, but Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber, and Crysencio Summerville were unable to convert their penalties.
Ronald Koeman Resigns as Dutch National Team Coach
Following the early exit from the World Cup, Koeman faced significant criticism in the Netherlands, leading to his decision to resign the day after the defeat, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.
This resignation marks the end of Koeman’s second term as head coach of the national team, which began in January 2023. During the 2024 European Championship, the Netherlands reached the semifinals but were eliminated by England with a score of 1-2, conceding another late goal in stoppage time.
Koeman’s first tenure ran from 2018 to 2020, during which he guided the Dutch team to the final of the 2019 Nations League, where they lost to Portugal 0-1.
In addition to his two stints with the national team, Koeman has managed several club teams including Vitesse, Ajax, Benfica, PSV, Valencia, AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord, Southampton, Everton, and Barcelona.
“We have nothing to reproach ourselves for. The players are exhausted… There are things that can be improved. We defended well in many moments, but it’s hard not to concede against such a good team. Perhaps the second penalty for Morocco was psychologically significant… Strange. Bart saves, but he sends the ball into the goal with his heel. When you have such moments against you, it’s over. We know how difficult penalties are. We missed three out of five, which is too much. You need a bit of luck, and Morocco had more,” said Ronald Koeman after the World Cup elimination.
