On the eve of Monday’s last-32 encounter in Monterrey, Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman suggested that facing Morocco at this stage of the World Cup might have come a little too early for both sides.

Both nations were among the top-eight finishers at the previous World Cup four years ago. Morocco made history as the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals, while the Netherlands narrowly exited in the quarter-finals after a penalty shootout loss to eventual champions Argentina.

“It’s significant that this match is happening now because both teams are strong enough to progress further than this round,” Koeman said.

“It’s a vital game between two teams aiming to go deep into the tournament, but I feel such a high-profile clash has come a bit too early in the competition,” he continued. “Nevertheless, it is what it is, and it will be a very exciting contest. We’ll go out there with an attacking mindset,” the Dutch coach added confidently.

Koeman and his captain Virgil van Dijk both appeared assured as they discussed their strategy ahead of the final match of Monday’s three knockout fixtures.

“They’ve got plenty of talent, but so do we. We understand where we need to stop them and how to break them down, so we’re not concerned,” Koeman stated.

Van Dijk highlighted Morocco’s right-back Achraf Hakimi as one of the best players in world football. He also mentioned striker Ismael Saibari, who enjoyed a superb season with PSV Eindhoven, and midfielder Brahim Diaz as key players to watch.

“They have many quality players. The young defensive midfielder who’s emerging strongly is another one to note,” Van Dijk said, referring to 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, a contender for the Young Player award at the World Cup.

“We’ve studied their game, trained hard, and completed two excellent sessions. Now everything is in place, and it’s down to us. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a tough game under tough conditions, but these are the matches you dream of playing in,” Van Dijk added.

The Dutch skipper dismissed suggestions that his team needed a dominant win over Morocco to demonstrate their potential to be World Cup winners.

“I don’t think we need to make any statements. The reality is that we’re here, and this is the next step. It’s a fantastic fixture for neutrals to enjoy, but for us, it’s simply about preparation and focus. We’re ready for Morocco,” Van Dijk concluded.