Rabat – Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman has described his team’s upcoming World Cup round of 32 match against Morocco as “a shame,” saying both teams deserve to go much further in the tournament.
The Netherlands will face Morocco at Estadio Monterrey in Mexico after finishing top of Group F, while Morocco secured second place in Group C with a 4-2 victory over Haiti in their final group-stage match.
Speaking ahead of the knockout clash, Koeman said he believes the two sides should have met later in the competition.
“It is actually a shame that the match is taking place already, because we are two teams that normally should advance in the tournament,” Koeman said.
“If you lose, you go home, but that applies to the opposing side as well. Now we realize that it is a knockout.”
Koeman commended Morocco’s attacking quality but said his side would look to exploit the spaces the Atlas Lions leave behind.
“They have a great attacking team, but Morocco also has weaker points. They also give away space. With our quality on the counter, we can punish that,” he added.
The match will be only the second World Cup meeting between the two nations. Their first came during the 1994 tournament, when the Netherlands defeated Morocco 2-1 in the group stage after goals from Dennis Bergkamp and Bryan Roy.
The Dutch have a strong record in recent World Cup knockout matches, progressing from seven of their last 10 since 2010. However, three of their last five knockout games have gone to penalty shootouts, including their quarterfinal defeat to Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.
Early heavyweight clash
The Netherlands-Morocco matchup has also fueled discussion among fans and pundits, many of whom believe such a high-profile fixture would normally be expected in the later stages of the tournament. Morocco sits sixth in the FIFA ranking, followed by the Netherlands in seventh place.
In previous World Cups, the biggest teams often avoided each other until the quarterfinals or beyond. However, the expanded 48-team tournament now features 12 group winners instead of eight. As a result, some group winners are forced to face one another earlier in the knockout stage.
The final bracket was also determined by a random draw, leaving several strong teams with difficult paths and ensuring that one major contender will leave the tournament much sooner than expected.
Despite the tough challenge, hopes remain high in Morocco that the Atlas Lions can produce another memorable World Cup run.
Morocco made history at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by becoming the first African and Arab nation to reach the semifinals, defeating football powerhouses including Spain and Portugal before finishing fourth.
Many Moroccan supporters now hope the team can recreate that fairytale, starting with what promises to be one of the most anticipated matches of the round of 32 against the Netherlands.
