Turkey's media: Morocco takes down the giants.

Turkish media confirmed today, Tuesday, that the Moroccan national football team is establishing itself as one of the most capable teams to compete with the giants of Europe, after adding the Dutch team to the list of its "victims" in the World Cup finals, winning against them in a penalty shootout (3-2) to reach the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

Turkish outlets believe that what the "Atlas Lions" have achieved is not merely a fleeting surprise; rather, it reflects the continuity of an upward trajectory that began in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, when the Moroccan team eliminated several European powers, before repeating the same scenario in the current edition by knocking out the Netherlands, "one of the most prominent schools of football on the old continent."

In this context, the "TRT Spor" channel titled its report "Morocco knocks the Netherlands out of the World Cup race," considering that the "Atlas Lions" continued to write new chapters of their successes in the World Cup, after managing to overcome a team known for its strength and experience in the knockout stages.

The sports channel highlighted that the Moroccan team dealt intelligently with the course of the match, maintaining its tactical discipline despite the Dutch pressure, before succeeding in equalizing during stoppage time, then imposing its mental rhythm in the penalty shootout, confirming that this ability to withstand has become one of the most prominent characteristics of the Moroccan team in major tournaments.

For its part, the "Haberturk" newspaper noted that Morocco proved once again that it does not give up regardless of the circumstances of the match, emphasizing that the Dutch team took the lead; however, the "Atlas Lions" "did not surrender," and they managed to level the score in the 90+1 minute, before confidently securing qualification in the penalty shootout.

The newspaper added that the victory was not the result of a fleeting moment, but rather a strong collective character, reflected in the way the players handled the most sensitive phases of the match; this allowed Morocco to continue its dream in the 2026 World Cup.

Meanwhile, the "GZT" portal chose the headline "Morocco eliminates the Netherlands in a penalty shootout... Another European giant bids farewell to the World Cup," indicating that the Moroccan team has become accustomed to toppling the giants of the European continent in global tournaments.

The portal added that Morocco succeeded in turning the match's dynamics around after the Dutch team seemed on its way to advancing, before the equalizing goal brought the match back to square one, allowing the "Atlas Lions" to secure their qualification through penalties, benefiting from their calmness and confidence in critical moments.