Ibrahimovic Slams Koeman After Shootout Loss to Morocco: ‘Netherlands Have Lost Their Identity’

New Delhi: Former Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has criticised Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman and said that the Dutch team lost their identity in their penalty shootout defeat against Morocco on Tuesday.

“This defeat is Koeman’s fault because I didn’t recognise this Dutch team. He lost with an identity that is not the Dutch identity. That makes me angry. I was always taught: attack, attack, attack. This is not the Dutch identity. Today, Koeman looked like an Italian coach, playing not to lose, whereas the Netherlands always play to win. If you lose, at least lose with your own identity and don’t change it,” Ibrahimovic told Fox Sports.

Despite the Netherlands’ defensive decision, Morocco struck back with a leveller in the 91st minute, and the game went into a penalty shootout, in which the European team lost to the African powerhouse.

“This wasn’t the Netherlands I’m used to seeing. You could also tell by the way they played that they didn’t feel comfortable. The possession was gone, the attacking football was gone... It just looked really bad, and that was all on Koeman. I didn’t like it at all, absolutely not,” Ibrahimovic added. IANS

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