Ronald Koeman resigns as coach of the Dutch national team after failure at the World Cup
July 1, 2026 · Global
Ronald Koeman resigned from his position as coach of the Dutch national team after experiencing the country's worst result at the World Cup, being eliminated in the round of 32.
Ronald Koeman has officially resigned from his position as coach of the Dutch national team after experiencing the worst result in the country's history at the World Cup, being eliminated in the round of 32. The Netherlands have previously missed World Cups, most recently in 2018, but in every World Cup they have participated in, they have always reached at least the last 16. All that changed when the Netherlands lost to Morocco on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Monterrey Stadium.
Koeman has been widely criticized for his approach in the match against Morocco. He chose a five-defender formation, abandoning the attacking and total football philosophy usually adopted by the Dutch. During the group stages, the Netherlands played with a traditional back four, where they finished with seven points and impressed, but the sudden formation change against Morocco left many confused, including Thierry Henry. "I was very surprised because the Dutch usually don't play like this, but obviously Koeman has a different vision," said the World Cup winner.
Zlatan Ibrahimović even blamed Koeman for the defeat. "It's always sad to see someone lose. But I think this defeat is in Koeman's hands because I don't recognize this Dutch team," said Ibrahimović. "And he lost with an identity that was not a Dutch identity," he continued. "And that makes me angry. Losing your identity, and always trying to be that. That's who you are. That's what you represent."
The Netherlands are now looking for a new coach who will lead the project for Euro 2028 and try to overcome the disappointment of this tournament.