Justin Kluivert finally got on the field at the 2026 World Cup, coming off the bench as the Netherlands beat Tunisia 3-1 and finished top of Group F. It was his first appearance of the tournament after missing the opening two group matches.
Netherlands finish top of Group F
The win left the Netherlands with seven points and an unbeaten group stage. They edged Japan on goal difference after both sides finished level on points, so the margin at the top stayed narrow even after a two-goal cushion against Tunisia.
Ronald Koeman rotated his squad for the final group match after qualification had already been secured. That opened the door for Kluivert, while Nathan Ake also made his first start against Tunisia.
Kluivert enters the knockout picture
Kluivert had watched the Netherlands’ matches against Japan and Sweden from the sidelines, so his debut against Tunisia was the first chance to see how he fits into the tournament rotation. For a player who had not featured in the opening two games, the bench role suggests he has been eased in rather than thrown straight into the main attacking load.
That leaves the immediate question around how much of the knockout rounds he will get. The Netherlands face Morocco in the Round of 32 on Monday, and Kluivert has at least moved from the outside of the squad picture to a live option for the next stage.
Tyler Adams follows a similar path
The same tournament pattern has played out for Tyler Adams with the USA. Mauricio Pochettino rested him for the final Group D match against Turkey after the USA had already wrapped up top spot, and the side lost 3-2 before moving on to Bosnia in the round of 32.
Adams is described as the heartbeat of the American side, which makes the decision to protect him before the knockout rounds easier to read. For Kluivert, the parallel is simple enough: both players are now through, both have been managed carefully, and both enter the next round with their roles still to be defined.
