Van Dijk and Koeman accused of 'betraying Dutch football'.

The defeat against Morocco in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup has made the Netherlands national team the target of criticism from the domestic media.

Virgil van Dijk's Netherlands team was a huge disappointment. Photo: Reuters .

On June 30th, the Netherlands were eliminated after being defeated by Morocco on penalties. The African representatives were considered to have played more proactively and energetically throughout the match, and could even have settled the encounter within 120 minutes if they had made better use of the opportunities created.

Following the match, journalist Valentijn Driessen of the Telegraaf published a scathing commentary targeting coach Ronald Koeman and captain Virgil van Dijk. He argued that the Netherlands' overly defensive style of play contradicted the attacking football identity that had defined the team for decades.

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According to Driessen, Koeman and Van Dijk have "betrayed all the values ​​of Dutch football" by choosing overly cautious tactics. He also believes the Liverpool center-back is no longer at the same level as before, and asserts that "Van Dijk's time is over."

Coach Koeman and captain Van Dijk have both faced criticism. Photo: Reuters .

Next, the Telegraaf writer called on the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) to terminate Koeman's contract immediately after the team returns home. He pointed out that in his second four-year stint as coach, the 62-year-old had failed to win a single match against teams ranked in the top 25 in the world , and criticized his constant changes to the lineup and tactics right before the knockout rounds.

In fact, following a wave of fierce criticism from the media and fans, Coach Koeman decided to step down as head coach of the national team on the morning of July 1st. His departure is seen as a turning point in the context of the Dutch national team needing a major overhaul.

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Source: https://znews.vn/van-dijk-koeman-bi-to-phan-boi-bong-da-ha-lan-post1664947.html