Morocco are through to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup after eliminating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout — and before the dust had settled, Zlatan Ibrahimović had reportedly made his feelings about Ronald Koeman very public.
The Netherlands went into the last 16 as one of the more fancied European sides at this tournament. They came out of it on the wrong end of a shootout, eliminated by a Morocco side that has made a habit of making big occasions feel very small for their opponents.
The game itself ended level after 90 minutes — and then extra time — before penalties settled it in Morocco's favour, a result confirmed by both BBC Sport and Foot Mercato. For the Atlas Lions, it is another statement result on the biggest stage. For the Dutch, it is a brutal early exit and a long flight home with a lot of questions to answer.
Zlatan Ibrahimović, according to Foot Mercato, did not hold back in his assessment of Koeman's management of the Netherlands. The report describes his comments as a pointed public criticism of the Dutch head coach — though specific quotes and the exact capacity in which Ibrahimović was speaking, whether as a pundit, in his role as an AC Milan executive, or simply as himself, have not been independently verified at the time of writing. No second outlet has yet surfaced a direct translated quote, and Flagside is continuing to seek further detail on the precise content of his remarks.
What the Foot Mercato report makes clear is that Ibrahimović chose to make his feelings known publicly and without much softening. That, at least, is entirely on brand.
Zlatan has never been the type to wait to be asked twice.
The Dutch exit will sting precisely because it felt avoidable. The Netherlands have the players — the squad depth, the individual quality — to go deep at a World Cup. Losing on penalties to Morocco, however impressive Morocco are, will be framed as underachievement, and Koeman will carry the weight of that framing.
Whether Ibrahimović's reported intervention adds anything beyond noise is another question. His read of the game has always been confident, occasionally brilliant, and not always tethered to tactical nuance. Koeman, for his part, has managed at the highest level for years — he knows what a public dressing-down looks like, and he has survived worse.
Morocco, meanwhile, are not waiting around for anyone's verdict. They are in the last 16, and they are not done.
Morocco are through to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup after eliminating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout — and before the dust had settled, Zlatan Ibrahimović had reportedly made his feelings about Ronald…
Fuentes
Foot Mercato
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“Stays on World Cup — different angle, same beat.”
SELECCIONESTena Morocco. Tena Atlas Lions wakifanya kitu ambacho bara zima lilikuwa linasubiri. Tarehe 30 Juni 2026, katika ardhi ya Mexico, Morocco walimwondoa Uholanzi — nguvu ya jadi ya Ulaya — katika duru ya
“Stays on World Cup — different angle, same beat.”
SELECCIONESTena Morocco. Tena Atlas Lions wakifanya kitu ambacho bara zima lilikuwa linasubiri. Tarehe 30 Juni 2026, katika ardhi ya Mexico, Morocco walimwondoa Uholanzi — nguvu ya jadi ya Ulaya — katika duru ya
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