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Rabat – The Netherlands enter their Round of 32 clash against Morocco as favorites, but the Atlas Lions have already shown they can compete with the world’s best at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The two teams will meet on June 29 – June 30, local date, at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, with a place in the Round of 16 at stake.
Morocco reached the knockout stage after an unbeaten group campaign. Mohamed Ouahbi’s side drew 1-1 with Brazil before beating Scotland 1-0 and Haiti 4-2 to finish second in Group C with seven points.
The Atlas Lions have also made history by becoming only the third African nation to qualify for the knockout stage in back-to-back World Cups, following Nigeria and Ghana.
The Netherlands also impressed during the group stage. Ronald Koeman’s team finished top of Group F after drawing 2-2 with Japan before defeating Sweden 5-1 and Tunisia 3-1.
Group stage statistics
The Dutch scored 10 goals in three matches, making them one of the tournament’s highest-scoring teams. Brian Brobbey leads the attack with three goals, while Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville have each scored twice.
Morocco has also looked dangerous in front of the goal. The Atlas Lions scored six times in the group stage, including a record-breaking four-goal performance against Haiti.
Midfielder Ismael Saibari has been Morocco’s standout player so far. He has scored in every group-stage match and became the first Moroccan player to score three goals in a single World Cup.
Encounter history
History slightly favors the Netherlands. The two nations have met once before at the World Cup, with the Dutch winning 2-1 in the group stage in 1994. The Netherlands has never lost to an African team in World Cup history.
However, Morocco has already proven it can beat Europe’s biggest teams. The Atlas Lions defeated Portugal on their way to the 2022 semi-finals and will be hoping for another famous victory.
Opta prediction
According to Opta’s supercomputer, the Netherlands has a 47.6% chance of winning the match, while Morocco’s chances are estimated at 25%. The remaining 27.4% of simulations end in a draw before extra time.
Despite the odds, Morocco has built a reputation for surprising football’s biggest nations. If the Atlas Lions defend with their usual discipline and take their chances in attack, another memorable World Cup night could be within reach.
