The Netherlands’ run toward the 2026 World Cup ended on June 29, when Morocco beat the Oranje in a penalty shootout. The result matters beyond one knockout game: it removes the highest-scoring nation that has never won the World Cup from the race for the next tournament.
That distinction has long belonged to The Netherlands, which sits atop the list of teams without a title when World Cup points are used as the measuring stick. The Dutch have 44 points across World Cup history, with nine of those coming in 2026, and their record now includes a 1986 runner-up finish and three trips to the semifinals.
What the elimination changes
With The Netherlands out, the field of longtime title chasers becomes a little easier to sort. Belgium, Mexico, Portugal and the United States are among the teams still alive or listed near the bottom of the ranking, but none has matched the Dutch combination of consistency and near-misses.
Belgium’s best World Cup stretch included two other semifinal appearances and five top-four finishes overall, with a quarterfinal run in 2014 and a third-place finish in 2018. Mexico’s points total stands at 36 from 31 matches, while Portugal has 30 points in 27 matches and the United States has 18 points in 7 matches. Senegal is also part of the discussion with 7 points.
The historical list also helps frame the modern bracket. The United States reached the semifinals once in 1930, Belgium’s semifinal run was stopped by Argentina in 1986 and again by France in 2018, and Spain beat The Netherlands in the 2010 final in South Africa. That remains the last first-time World Cup champion.
Portugal remains in the race
Portugal is still alive after edging Croatia, which keeps Cristiano Ronaldo and his team in the 2026 World Cup hunt. It is a reminder that the current tournament still includes several nations with a long title wait, but The Netherlands is no longer one of them.
In practical terms, June 29 changed the shape of the conversation. If the 2026 World Cup produces another first-time winner, The Netherlands will no longer be the frontrunner among the best teams never to lift the trophy. That role now shifts to the rest of the old guard still trying to close the gap.
