Three generations unable to bridge the gap! The "King without a Crown" has fallen in penalty shootouts four times, continuing Dutch football's tragic saga.

On June 30, Beijing time, in a World Cup round-of-32 clash, Morocco beat the Netherlands 4-3 in a penalty shootout, securing a spot in the last 16. This is also the fourth occasion the Netherlands has stumbled in a World Cup penalty shootout. The stigma of being "the uncrowned champions" persists, and Dutch football continues its tale of sorrow.

At the 1998 World Cup, the Dutch squad was stacked with stars like Bergkamp, Kluivert, Seedorf, Davids, and Stam—a world-class lineup across all three lines. In the group stage, they crushed South Korea 5-0, then overcame Yugoslavia and Argentina in the knockout rounds to reach the semifinals. After a 1-1 draw with defending champions Brazil over 120 minutes, the match went to penalties. Davids and Cocu missed their spot kicks, and the Netherlands fell to the Samba side, seeing their World Cup dream slip away.

At the 2014 World Cup, the Netherlands had entered the era of the "three musketeers"—Van Persie, Robben, and Sneijder—whose attacking prowess was almost unmatched. In the tournament, they avenged their 2010 final loss by demolishing defending champions Spain 5-1 in the group stage, and later beat Costa Rica on penalties in the quarterfinals, making it seem like the penalty curse was finally broken. In the semifinals, they faced Argentina led by Messi. After a 0-0 draw in regulation and extra time, penalties again decided the outcome. Vlaar and Sneijder both missed, and the Dutch were eliminated, falling short once more at the semifinal stage.

At the 2022 World Cup, the Netherlands entered a new era. While they no longer boasted the star-studded front line of the past, their overall strength remained formidable. In the quarterfinals, they once again faced Argentina led by Messi—and before the match, the Dutch squad declared to the Albiceleste, "We have a score to settle." The team fought tenaciously, coming from 0-2 down to equalize 2-2 and force extra time. When the game went to penalties, Van Dijk and Bergwijn both missed, and the Netherlands suffered another heartbreak.

Four years later, at the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the Netherlands topped their group with 2 wins and 1 draw (7 points) to advance smoothly. In the round of 32, they faced Morocco. After conceding a stoppage-time equalizer from Diop, extra time produced no goals, and the match went to penalties at 1-1. This time, the Dutch could not change their fate: Geertruida, Timber, and Simons all missed, with the Netherlands converting only 2 of their 5 penalties, suffering yet another defeat.

Three generations of Dutch footballers have chased the World Cup dream, only to be stopped by the 12-yard spot. So when will Dutch football's tragic fate finally come to an end?

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