Morocco’s dramatic victory over the Netherlands at the 2026 FIFA World Cup sparked contrasting scenes across two continents, with jubilant celebrations erupting in Casablanca and clashes between fans and police in the Dutch city of The Hague following the Atlas Lions’ historic promotion to the last 16.After a 1-1 draw in overtime, Morocco defeated the Netherlands 3-2 in a penalty shootout to send the Netherlands out of the tournament for the first time and advance to the round of 16 against co-host Canada.
Celebrations in The Hague turn chaotic
The Netherlands is home to a large Moroccan community and thousands of supporters celebrated Morocco’s victory late into the night. However, the celebrations in The Hague’s Hildeswijk district turned violent as police intervened.According to Dutch police, “a large number of fireworks” were set off during the celebrations and officers were attacked with fireworks and rocks. Riot police were deployed to restore order, charging into the crowd and using water cannon to break up the rally.Police confirmed that “a number of people were arrested for public violence”.At the same time, Casablanca, more than 2,000 kilometers away, is filled with an atmosphere of unrestrained joy.When Ismail Sabari took the winning penalty, the tense silence in the café packed with supporters immediately turned into deafening celebrations. Fireworks lit up the night sky and fans filled the streets waving Moroccan flags, honking car horns and chanting long after midnight.Despite being early in the morning and on a weekday, hundreds of supporters continued to celebrate until dawn, gathering on Casablanca’s main avenue while chanting “Canada, we come for you.”
Hakimi: ‘Qatar is anything but lucky’
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi said the win proved his side’s impressive run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals was not a one-off.“This is a complex and extremely difficult match. We know who we are up against and we are well prepared physically because we know it will be a tough match, but we also know that mentally it will be even tougher,” Hakimi told the anchor.“We stayed focused until the end, showing the true spirit of this team and we are extremely proud of this win.”Hakimi also responded to critics who believe Morocco’s success in Qatar is a one-time achievement.“A lot of people think what happened in Qatar was just luck. But we stayed focused and hard work always pays off. Today we reaped the rewards of hard work,” he said.
