Former Sweden striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, has strongly criticised Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman following the Dutch side’s shock elimination from the FIFA World Cup at the hands of Morocco.
The Netherlands were knocked out in the Round of 32 after surrendering a late lead in a dramatic contest in Monterrey. Koeman opted for a defensive five-man backline, a tactical approach rarely seen during his tenure, as the Oranje looked to secure passage to the next round.
Cody Gakpo’s second-half strike appeared to have put the Dutch on course for victory, but Morocco struck deep into stoppage time to force extra time before eventually winning the penalty shootout 3-2.
Speaking on FOX Sports after the match, Ibrahimovic said he was frustrated by what he described as a departure from the Netherlands’ traditional attacking style.
Ibrahimovic stated, “This defeat is Koeman’s fault because I didn’t recognise this Dutch team. He lost with an identity that is not the Dutch identity. That makes me angry.
“I was always taught: attack, attack, attack. This is not the Dutch identity. Today, Koeman looked like an Italian coach, playing 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.
“This wasn’t the Netherlands I’m used to seeing. You could also tell by the way they played that they didn’t feel comfortable. The possession was gone, the attacking football was gone… It just looked really bad, and that was all on Koeman. I didn’t like it at all, absolutely not.”
Ibrahimovic was not the only former player left surprised by Koeman’s tactical decisions.
Former Arsenal and France forward Thierry Henry also questioned the Netherlands manager’s conservative approach, particularly his decision to reinforce the defence during the closing stages of the match.
Henry said, “You take off a midfielder to bring on a defender… by doing that, you’re basically saying you’re afraid of Morocco. Of course, you’re allowed to do that. If you win, you’re right. If you lose, you’re wrong. I was truly surprised because that’s not how the Netherlands normally play. But Koeman clearly had a different vision.”
The defeat marked one of the biggest upsets of the tournament and ended the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign earlier than many had anticipated, while Morocco advanced to the Round of 16.
