Dutch media: Morocco is a real test.

The Dutch media has approached the upcoming match between their national team and the Moroccan team, scheduled for next Tuesday in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, with great caution. Several newspapers and sports websites agree that the "Atlas Lions" will be the first real test for the Netherlands since the start of the "World Cup."

Despite the Dutch national team topping Group F after their victory over Tunisia with a score of three goals to one, several Dutch media outlets have stated that the team has not yet faced an opponent of the caliber of the Moroccan team, which finished the group stage as runners-up in Group C after a draw with Brazil and victories over Scotland and Haiti.

The platform "VoetbalNieuws" confirmed that the Dutch national team has entered a different phase of the competition, considering that the match against Morocco represents the "first real test" for the "Oranje," as the teammates of Virgil van Dijk showed a good performance against Tunisia in terms of the result, but they did not fully convince from a technical standpoint.

For its part, the website "SoccerNews" went further, relying on an analysis by Dutch journalist Valentine Driesen, who warned against underestimating Morocco, reminding that the Netherlands has not achieved any victory against a team ranked among the top 25 in the FIFA rankings during the second term of coach Ronald Koeman, while the Moroccan team is ranked sixth in the world. He noted that the defensive mistakes that appeared against Tunisia could be costly against the "Atlas Lions."

The cautious tone was not limited to the media but extended to the Dutch camp, where coach Ronald Koeman emphasized, after qualification, that Morocco is different from previous opponents, confirming that his team will need to perform better if they want to continue their journey in the tournament. He also acknowledged the presence of some defensive shortcomings that need to be corrected before facing the Moroccan team.