Former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart has voiced strong criticism against national team coach Ronald Koeman. Van der Vaart specifically targeted Koeman's decision to deploy a five-defender formation in the World Cup round of 32 match against Morocco, which resulted in the Netherlands' elimination.
Van der Vaart questioned the tactical shift, stating, "You're doing well, but what happened in your head that made you play differently against Morocco?" He emphasized that the Netherlands traditionally plays attacking football and that the defensive setup was uncharacteristic.
He also singled out Frenkie de Jong, remarking that it was "De Jong's worst match." The Netherlands lost to Morocco 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time on Monday.