Ronald Koeman resigns as Netherlands head coach after World Cup loss to Morocco

Ronald Koeman has resigned as Netherlands head coach in the wake of their World Cup last-32 defeat to Morocco on Monday. “Last night I took the decision to end my stint as head coach of the Dutch national team,” Koeman said in a statement on Instagram. “We all shared the dream of making history at this World Cup , but we fell short. No one is more disappointed by that than I am. As head coach, the responsibility ultimately rests with me”. The 63-year-old former Dutch defender, who took charge of the Netherlands in January 2023 having already held the post for two years, from 2018-2020, had also hinted at retirement from coaching. “Moreover, the past few years have made me realise once again that ‌there are more important things than football,” he added. “Football has been my life, but health is priceless. When someone you love dearly is fighting a tough battle, your perspective changes. “Despite her own illness, my wife Bartina supported and encouraged me every day to finish my work as head coach. That shows incredible strength. I am more grateful to her for that than I could ever ‌put into words”. Nigel de Jong, technical director of the Dutch football association (KNVB), described the World Cup campaign as disappointing. He would have had a major say ​in whether Koeman stayed or not had the coach not quit. “The objective was the semi-finals, and the ambition was to become world champions,” said the former midfielder. “Unfortunately, we didn’t achieve that. …