Ronald Koeman defends five-man defence after Dutch World Cup exit

The Dutch were eliminated after a dramatic penalty shootout defeat following a 1-1 draw after extra time. Koeman faced criticism for using a more cautious system, but he stood by his decision and said he would make the same choice again.

"With this defensive approach, we gave away much less than we did during the group matches," Koeman said. "That was positive, but we were also less offensive."

The Netherlands had struggled defensively earlier in the tournament, and Koeman believed a more compact shape was needed against a strong Morocco side that had impressed throughout the competition.

"You can think whatever you want about the tactics, but we gave away much less against a team much stronger than Sweden and Tunisia," he said. "If I had to do it again, I would do it the same way again."

Koeman admitted he understood that the result would influence how his tactics were judged, but he felt the late equaliser from Morocco changed the way his approach would be viewed.

"If Morocco had not scored that late goal, there would have been all sorts of compliments for me as the Dutch coach," he said. "But now, probably, I am going to be criticised for choosing five defenders. I still believe it was necessary."

The manager also revealed that his players had supported the tactical plan before the match and rejected suggestions that the Netherlands approached the game negatively.

"It was not about being afraid," Koeman said. "It was about having a better defensive position based on an analysis of the opposition."