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Rabat – Former Dutch international Ibrahim Afellay believes the Netherlands have little reason to fear Morocco ahead of a likely Round of 32 clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on Dutch broadcaster NOS after Morocco’s chaotic 4-2 win over Haiti, Afellay argued that coach Ronald Koeman “does not need to lose sleep over Morocco,” criticizing the Atlas Lions’ second-half performance and warning that their careless possession would be punished heavily by stronger opponents.
“If you lose the ball like that against stronger opponents, you will simply get massacred,” Afellay said, pointing to the Netherlands’ fast attacking line as a major threat.
His comments quickly drew attention, particularly because they directly contradict the tone adopted by Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman himself.
Earlier this week, Koeman openly rejected the idea that Morocco would be a preferable opponent over Brazil, insisting both teams present the same level of danger.
“They are both strong teams. I don’t see Brazil as stronger than Morocco because they drew against each other in their opening match,” Koeman said. “Whoever we face, it will be a difficult game.”
Afellay’s harsh assessment came despite Morocco’s unbeaten group run, with the Atlas Lions drawing 1-1 with Brazil and winning its confrontations with Scotland and Haiti.
While Morocco’s defensive instability against Haiti raised questions, many observers also pointed out that knockout-stage football rarely resembles chaotic final group games against eliminated teams playing with freedom and nothing to lose.
The Atlas Lions also remain one of the tournament’s highest-ranked sides and continue carrying the aura of their historic 2022 World Cup semifinal run in Qatar.
A potential Morocco-Netherlands matchup would also carry extra emotional weight given the deep ties between the two countries and the massive Moroccan diaspora in the Netherlands, making Afellay’s comments instantly controversial among fans online.
For now, however, Koeman himself appears far more cautious about Morocco than some of the pundits speaking around him.
