Assahafa.com
After dismissing Morocco’s chances with critical pre-match comments, Dutch legend Rafael van der Vaart was forced to change his tune after the Atlas Lions knocked the Netherlands out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The clash between the Atlas Lions and the Oranje took place on Tuesday, with Morocco advancing on penalties following a tense 1–1 draw.
Cody Gakpo opened the scoring for the Netherlands in the 72nd minute, putting the Dutch side close to victory. However, Morocco dramatically forced extra time when Issa Diop scored a header in the 91st minute.
Before kickoff, Van der Vaart confidently predicted a comfortable Dutch victory, stating, “Holland will beat Morocco 3-0… They have to win. No, it’s not a joke,”
The former Dutch international also pointed to individual star power, arguing that the Netherlands held the clear advantage on paper. “If we compare the players one by one and look at the clubs where they play, then Holland should win,” he claimed.
However, once the final whistle blew, the reality of Morocco’s on-pitch dominance forced the former midfielder to completely walk back his pre-match assertions.
Speaking on the Dutch network NOS after the match, Van der Vaart stated: “Honestly, Morocco fully deserves to qualify. The Moroccans were the better team from the first minute.”
“I felt deeply disappointed. It was a very bad match for the Dutch national team. True, you took the lead, and then you started to believe that with a bit of luck you would qualify, but Morocco was simply the better team,” he added.
He also singled out individual performances, pointing to the intense battle in the center of the pitch, stating, “De Jong played the worst match I have ever seen him play. Is that due to the coach’s tactics? I think Morocco’s midfield was simply better.”
With this historic victory behind them, Morocco now turns its attention to the next stage of the tournament. The Atlas Lions are set to face Canada in the round of 16, looking to carry their winning momentum forward.
Source: Morocco word news
