‘This wasn’t Netherlands’: Zlatan hits out, says only one man to blame for Oranje exit from World Cup

Zlatan Ibrahimovic hit out at Ronald Koeman after the Netherlands’ World Cup exit, blaming his defensive tactics for the Oranje’s defeat to Morocco/ Picture: AP,X The Netherlands’ 2026 World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak after Morocco completed a dramatic comeback to eliminate Ronald Koeman’s side on penalties after a 1-1 draw, but much of the post-match discussion focused not on the result itself but on the Dutch manager’s tactical decisions.Former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimović launched one of the strongest criticisms of the tournament while working as a pundit for FOX Sports, laying the blame squarely on Koeman for the defeat. Thierry Henry, who joined him in the studio, also questioned the Netherlands’ conservative game plan, arguing that Morocco deserved to progress because they stayed true to their identity throughout the competition.However, Koeman defended his approach and insisted he would make exactly the same decisions again despite the painful exit.

A late collapse turned Dutch control into a penalty shootout

The Round of 32 clash appeared to be going in the Netherlands’ favor when Cody Gakpo, playing just days after the heartbreaking loss of his unborn son, put the Oranje ahead in the 72nd minute.The Liverpool striker appeared to be aiming to send the Netherlands through to the round of 16, but Morocco refused to give up.

The Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo (11) celebrates scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Round of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

Deep into stoppage time, in the 91st minute, Issa Diop rose to equalize after a costly defensive lapse to send the game into extra time and completely change the momentum.From this point on, Morocco increasingly controlled the proceedings. The Netherlands spent long periods in deep defense and finished the final stages of the contest with just 35 per cent of possession as Koeman’s side retreated into a compact low block.

Morocco’s Issa Diop reacts after scoring his team’s first goal during the World Cup Round of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen kept the Dutch alive with a superb save to deny Soufiane Rahimi in extra time, but the fightback eventually ended in a penalty shoot-out when Ismael Saibari calmly converted the winner to send Morocco into the round of 16, where they will face Canada.It marked an abrupt end to a disappointing World Cup campaign for the Netherlands.

Ibrahimović delivers a harsh verdict on Koeman

Speaking to FOX Sports after the match, Ibrahimović made it clear that he believed the defeat was self-inflicted.“This defeat is Koeman’s fault because I didn’t know this Dutch team. He lost to an identity that is not a Dutch identity. It makes me angry,” Ibrahimovic said.The former AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United striker has claimed that the Netherlands have abandoned the attacking philosophy that has traditionally defined their football.“They always taught me: attack, attack, attack. That’s not the Dutch identity. Today Koeman looked like an Italian coach who plays not to lose, whereas the Netherlands always play to win. If you lose, at least lose with your own identity and don’t change it.“It wasn’t the Netherlands I’m used to. You could also tell by the way they played that they weren’t comfortable. The possession was gone, the attacking football was gone. It looked very bad and Koeman was to blame.“I thought it was absolutely nothing, really nothing at all.Ibrahimović promised when he joined FOX Sports’ World Cup coverage earlier this year to “wake up” the audience with honest analysis, and his assessment of the Netherlands’ elimination became one of the strongest post-match reactions of the tournament.

Henry also questions the defensive switch

Thierry Henry shared many of Ibrahimović’s concerns, although his criticism focused more specifically on Koeman’s tactical setup.Before Ibrahimović spoke, Henry praised Morocco for staying committed to their style of play throughout the evening.“The team that tried to win won” Henry said. “They didn’t change their shape. They went for what they are, their identity.”He compared it to the Netherlands, arguing that they seemed more concerned with protecting their advantage than expanding it.“Morocco tried to win the match,” Henry said. “Netherlands were just trying not to lose it.Henry was particularly surprised by Koeman’s decision to deploy a back five in such an important knockout game.“You take off a midfielder to bring on a defender. You’re basically saying you’re afraid of Morocco. Of course that’s allowed. If you win, you’re right. If you lose, you’re wrong.”“I was really surprised because the Netherlands don’t normally play like this. But Koeman obviously had a different take on it.”The comments echoed Ibrahimović’s central argument that the Dutch had moved away from the attacking identity that had long characterized their national team.

Koeman stands by his decisions despite criticism

Koeman dismissed suggestions that his tactics were to blame for the defeat, insisting a defensive approach was necessary against one of the strongest teams in the tournament.“With this defensive approach, we gave away a lot less than during the (group) games.” Koeman said.“That was positive, but we were also less attacking. You can think of tactics all you want, but against a team much stronger than Sweden and Tunisia, we gave away a lot less. And if I had to do it again, I would do it again the same way.”The Dutch manager also claimed that football often judges coaches by results rather than performances.“I also know that if Morocco hadn’t equalized with that late goal, there would have been all sorts of compliments for me as the Dutch coach, but now I’ll probably be scolded for picking five defenders, but once again I believe it was necessary.”Morocco’s dramatic comeback and penalty shoot-out victory ultimately ensured the debate over Koeman’s tactical decisions overshadowed the Netherlands’ exit. While Ibrahimović and Henry questioned whether the Oranje had abandoned their footballing identity, Koeman remained convinced that his plan was the right one, even if it ended in another painful exit from the World Cup.