Penalty secrets and Oranje's exit: Janssen's take on the shootout

The Netherlands national team were eliminated from the tournament after losing to Morocco in a penalty shootout in their first knockout match. The defeat, confirmed today, after a dramatic series of spot‑kicks, officially sends Oranje home and ends their campaign.

Former Dutch striker Theo Janssen spoke to VoetbalPrimeur about his approach to taking penalties. He said, "I have taken many penalties. The first I took missed. I wanted to shoot to the corner, but Gábor Babos saved it."

He later began watching the goalkeeper's behavior before each kick. If the keeper moved, Janssen would target the corner. When the keeper stayed still, he would blast the ball over his standing leg.

Janssen emphasized that pressure plays a massive role in penalty execution. He said the psychological tension can dictate both placement and power. According to him, pressure was the biggest factor in his own missed attempts.

Four substitute players ultimately assumed the spot‑kick duties in the match. Their attempts, however, failed to overturn the shootout deficit. The shootout concluded with Morocco progressing and the Netherlands exiting the competition.