‘Worst times for a footballer’

Netherlands captain, Virgil van Dijk, said Ronald Koeman’s team “trained hard” to take penalties before missing three of five goals in penalty kicks to exit their first play-off game at the 2026 World Cup.

Justin Kluivert and Quinten Timber missed the target and Crysencio Summerville’s effort was saved by Yassine Bounou as Morocco came from behind in normal time and a shootout to eliminate Oranje.

“Unfortunately, we are still getting kicked out,” Van Dijk said of the Netherlands’ efforts to prepare for penalties, speaking to NOS (via Telegraaf).

“These are the worst moments for a footballer. It’s hard to analyze them. It was a tense game. Sometimes it went well. It could have been better, but that doesn’t help you.”

Netherlands vs Morocco: World Cup exit ‘not enough’

Tottenham’s new signing Jan Paul van Hecke suggested he was part of the team that will win the tournament after finishing the group stage by beating Tunisia to reach seven points.

“I’m exhausted,” added the defender, who was playing his first game in the knockout stages of the World Cup.

“We fought hard and gave everything, it was a difficult battle, we went to it, it doesn’t matter what hurts the country and the team.”

While Liverpool’s Van Dijk is 34 years old and may not play in another World Cup, 26-year-old defender Van Hecke and Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who is three years his senior, will be hoping for more chances to lift the trophy.

“It’s hard to say, at the moment, what went wrong and we’ve analyzed everything,” said De Jong. “I feel like nothing right now.

“What grade will I give this competition?

World Cup 2026: Morocco ‘humble’ vs Netherlands

Having fallen behind to Cody Gakpo’s 72nd minute strike, Morocco equalized through Issa Diop’s 91st minute header in Monterrey.

“For us to win here is like the feeling of winning a final,” said Atlas Lions star Noussair Mazraoui.

“It’s a big, big success for the team and we’ll stay humble because that’s why we’re here.”

The Manchester United defender believes the competition “came too early” for the tournament and is “unfair” to both teams.

“To the Moroccans who stay up late into the night watching, what can I tell you?” he asked. “We gave everything.

“We fought and believed in victory until the last moment. It was not easy and we wanted to please the people who came back there.”

Issa Diop’s goal vs Netherlands: ‘The pitch was behind us’

Diop admitted that he was surprised to find himself in the opportunity to meet Chemsdine Talbi’s delivery and score.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t really know what I’m doing there,” the Fulham defender explained.

“We know the level [his] crosses, so I just tried to attack the space and it worked.

“We heard that the stadium is behind us, so I thank the Mexican people. You know, I have friends from Mexico – [Fulham and Mexico striker] Raul Jimenez – maybe he is the one who spoke to them to support them.

“I want to thank all the Moroccans who support and are behind us. We know they support us and, on the pitch, we give everything for them. We think about them every second.”

World Cup 2026: Morocco schedule

Morocco’s semi-final appearance in 2022 was the longest ever by an African team in the finals and they could come close to emulating the feat by beating Canada in the last 16 on Saturday.

“They are a very good group,” Diop said of the participants, admitting that Morocco’s time for reflection and celebration “will not last very long”.

“We saw those [last-32 1-0 win] against South Africa. They are a good team. We have seen their group stage games.”

Here is where Morocco vs Canada takes place in different locations. The winners will face France, Sweden or Paraguay in the quarter-finals.