Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has identified Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi as the biggest threat ahead of their Round of 32 clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Oranje booked their place in the knockout stage with a 3-1 victory over Tunisia in Kansas City and will now face the African champions in Monterrey on Tuesday for a place in the quarter-finals.
Koeman said his side would have to prepare carefully to contain the Paris Saint-Germain full-back. “He is the star man and a very good right-back, so we have to prepare ourselves very well for him,” the Dutch coach said.
Defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who scored his first international goal against Tunisia, expects a difficult encounter against Morocco.
He said: “This is a match I am enormously looking forward to. “These are the games you want to play at a World Cup. “I think it’s going to be a very heated match.”
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk also praised Morocco’s quality but believes they have weaknesses that can be exploited. “I expect a great team with a lot of footballing quality, but also a team that is vulnerable,” Van Dijk said.
Midfielder Frenkie de Jong echoed his captain’s assessment after watching Morocco during the group stage. “I saw them play against Brazil, and they made a very strong impression on me then.
“Of course, they reached the semifinals at the last World Cup, and I think they have a few very good players. It’s going to be a beautiful match,” De Jong said. The fixture will also reunite several players who previously featured together in the Dutch league.
Morocco midfielder Ismael Saibari admitted he is looking forward to facing familiar opponents. “I’m going to run into a few friends, which is really nice.
“However, I haven’t watched the Netherlands very closely yet; I’ll hear from the manager what the tactics will be,” Saibari said. His teammate, Anass Salah-Eddine, also welcomed the matchup. “A wonderful match, of course. I’ll be playing against my best friends.
The Netherlands is a great team, but I feel the same way about us,” he said. The winner of Tuesday’s encounter will progress to the quarter-finals as both nations continue their pursuit of World Cup glory.
