MONTERREY — One shot to the left corner. Bert Verbruggen jumped the wrong way. And Morocco advanced.
Ismael Saibari became the final penalty taker in Morocco’s shootout drama against the Netherlands at Monterrey Stadium, Mexico, on Tuesday (30/6). The 3-2 shootout result — after both teams were tied 1-1 through extra time — sent the Atlas Lions into the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.
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But beyond simply booking their place, Saibari entered history that night.
A Record Shared by Only Two Players
Football statistician Misterchip noted that Saibari is now the second player in World Cup history to eliminate a country where he plays his club football. The 24-year-old striker represents PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie — and that night, his penalty sent the Netherlands home from the tournament.
The only player to have done it before? Cristiano Ronaldo. At the 2006 World Cup, CR7, then wearing Manchester United colors, helped eliminate England — the country of the league where he played — also on penalties.
Two players. Two different generations. One shared record.
120 Minutes of Exhausting Drama
The match was anything but easy for Morocco. The two teams traded chances throughout 90 minutes, with one goal apiece forcing the game into extra time. Two 15-minute periods passed without another breakthrough — and penalties became the only way to decide the winner.
That is where Saibari stood out as the hero. His kick was calm, precise, and deadly. Verbruggen had no answer.
This victory was not luck. Morocco arrived at the tournament with a steel-like mentality — a legacy of their epic run at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, when they became the first African team to reach the semifinals. Walid Regragui’s squad knows how to endure pressure and wait for the right moment.
Wider Context: A Surprising Night at the 2026 World Cup
Tuesday (30/6) was indeed a night full of surprises. Netherlands were not the only side to fall. Germany suffered the same fate — losing to Paraguay 4-3 on penalties at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Die Mannschaft have now exited three World Cup editions in a row earlier than expected, a trend that has left many observers shaking their heads.
Paraguay were solid with a compact defensive strategy, stealing a goal through Julyo Enciso’s header from a corner in the 42nd minute before Kai Havertz equalized with a header in the 54th. Ironically, Havertz himself missed in the shootout — along with Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah. Jose Canale sealed Paraguay’s place in the next round.
Two European giants fell in one night. The 2026 World Cup is proving itself a tournament with no safe hierarchy.
Morocco Eye Canada, With the Dream Still Alive
For Morocco, the round of 16 brings a relatively friendlier opponent on paper: Canada, on July 4 local time. The chance to go even further is wide open.
Saibari and his teammates now carry strong psychological momentum after surviving the test against the Netherlands. Their attack is sharp, their defense compact, and most importantly — they are unafraid of decisive moments.
For Saibari himself, the record he matched from Ronaldo is more than just a statistical curiosity. It reflects the journey of a player who chose to lift his nation’s pride, not merely to avoid the obvious conflict of interest felt in that match against the Netherlands.
Can Morocco continue their adventure and once again repeat — or even surpass — the glory of 2022? The answer is starting to take shape, one penalty at a time.
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