Morocco’s dramatic 2026 FIFA World Cup victory over the Netherlands sparked contrasting scenes on two continents, with jubilant celebrations erupting in Casablanca as clashes erupted between soccer fans and police in the Dutch city of The Hague following the Atlas Lions’ historic qualification for the last 16.Morocco stunned the Netherlands 3-2 in stoppage time following a 1-1 extra-time draw, condemning the Dutch to their earliest ever World Cup exit and setting up a last-16 clash against co-hosts Canada.
The celebrations in The Hague become chaotic
The Netherlands is home to a large Moroccan community, and thousands of fans celebrated Morocco’s victory late into the night. However, the festivities in The Hague’s Schilderswijk district turned violent after the police intervened.According to Dutch police, “strong fireworks were set off” during the celebrations and officers were attacked with fireworks and stones. Riot police were deployed to restore order, charging into the crowds and using water cannons to disperse the gatherings.The police confirmed that “several people were arrested for committing open violence.”Meanwhile, more than 2,000 kilometers away in Casablanca, the atmosphere was one of unbridled joy.As Ismael Saibari scored the winning penalty, the tense silence inside the cafe filled with fans immediately turned into a deafening celebration. Fireworks lit up the night sky as fans poured into the streets waving Moroccan flags, honking their horns and chanting long after midnight.Despite the early hours of the morning and the work day ahead, hundreds of fans continued to celebrate until dawn, gathering along Casablanca’s main boulevards chanting “Canada, we’re coming for you.”
Hakimi: ‘Qatar was no luck’
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi said the win proved his side’s remarkable run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals was not a one-off.“It was a complicated and extremely difficult match. We knew who we were up against and we prepared well physically because we knew it would be a tough match, but we also knew it would be even tougher mentally,” Hakimi told the host.“We kept our full focus until the end, showed the true spirit of this team and are incredibly proud of this victory.”Hakimi also responded to critics who suggested Morocco’s success in Qatar was a one-off achievement.“There were a lot of people who thought that what happened in Qatar was just luck. But we kept our focus, and hard work always pays off. Today we reaped the fruits of that effort,” he said.
