Ronald Koeman has resigned as manager of the Netherlands national football team following the country's elimination from the World Cup. The Dutch were knocked out by Morocco in a round-of-32 penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in Monterrey.
Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville all missed their penalty kicks and were subsequently subjected to discriminatory, racist and hateful comments on social media, according to the Royal Dutch Football Association, known as the KNVB.
Koeman, 63, stepped down from his second spell in charge of the national side and indicated he may have ended his managerial career. He posted on Instagram: "Looking back on my career, I feel especially proud. I have worked with clubs and people that shaped me and gave me memories that I will cherish for a lifetime. We all dreamed of a World Cup in which we would write history. That didn't work out. No-one is more disappointed about that than me. The past years have made me realise again that there are more important things than football. Football has been my life, but health is priceless. When someone you love is fighting a tough battle, your perspective changes."
Koeman's wife, Bartina, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The KNVB said it would seek criminal charges against anyone who abused its players online. "We find this appalling," the FA said. "Once a report is filed, legal staff assess whether the statement constitutes a punishable offence. This can lead to a formal complaint being lodged with the Public Prosecution Service, which may then initiate a criminal investigation."
The association also noted a broader point about the sport. "Football brings together millions of different people, whereas discrimination does the exact opposite. It therefore runs counter to everything football stands for," the KNVB added.
The incident drew comparisons to the abuse suffered by England players Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho after they missed penalties in the Euro 2021 final against Italy. That case resulted in two people being sentenced to prison and a third receiving a suspended sentence.
Koeman first managed the Netherlands beginning in 2018 and was considered a success in that period, before leaving to manage Barcelona. His second stint proved more difficult. According to BBC Sport, he was considered by many to be too defensive. Against Morocco, he played five defenders, a formation he had not used for some time.
