Morocco sent the Netherlands crashing out of the 2026 World Cup in the round of 32, defeating the Dutch 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
It marked the third time since 2014 that the Netherlands have been eliminated from a major tournament via a penalty shootout.
Cody Gakpo opened the scoring for the Netherlands in the 72nd minute, but Ilias Diop struck deep in stoppage time to level for Morocco and force extra time.
The Atlas Lions, who reached the semi-finals in 2022, showed trademark resilience. They held on with 10 men late in extra time after a player suffered a head cut, before prevailing in the shootout thanks to clinical finishing and crucial saves by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
The Netherlands’ Recent World Cup Shootout Heartbreaks
The Dutch national team has developed a notoriously poor record when knockout matches extend past 120 minutes. Since 2014, three of their last five World Cup knockout eliminations have come down to penalties, with three different nations inflicting the damage:
2026 Round of 32: Morocco defeats the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties after a late 91st-minute equalizer from Issa Diop forced a 1-1 draw. Ismael Saibari scored the decisive winning penalty for the Atlas Lions.
2022 Quarterfinals: Argentina knocks out the Netherlands 4-3 on penalties following an iconic, tempers-flaring 2-2 draw in Qatar.
2014 Semifinals: Argentina delivers another agonizing shootout blow, defeating Louis van Gaal’s Dutch squad 4-2 on penalties after a grueling 0-0 tactical stalemate in Brazil.
Morocco will now face Canada in the last 16. The result underscores the Netherlands’ recurring struggles from the spot in high-stakes matches despite strong performances in open play.
