Guus Til’s World Cup lasted precisely 31 minutes. The PSV Eindhoven midfielder played his first club minutes since the tournament on Tuesday in a 3-0 win over FC Eindhoven, and gave ESPN an honest verdict on the Netherlands’ campaign: “It’s mixed. A fantastic experience, but the result is not what we wanted.” The Dutch, whose stars are a familiar sight across the Premier League, went out in the round of 16 to Morocco, beaten in a penalty shootout after a gripping contest.
31 minutes against Sweden: a World Cup in miniature
Til’s entire tournament amounted to one half of football. The midfielder came on after the break in the Netherlands’ 5-1 group-stage thrashing of Sweden, racking up 31 minutes, and never appeared again, not in the remaining group games and not in the knockout tie.
“I was always ready to come on,” he told ESPN, a line that captures the quiet frustration of a player who is central to everything PSV do domestically yet found himself watching the biggest tournament in football from the bench.
Morocco end Dutch hopes on penalties
The Netherlands’ exit came in the round of 16, where Morocco held their nerve better in a shootout after an exciting, evenly matched game. It extends the Atlas Lions’ remarkable rise since their run to the semi-finals in 2022, and hands the Dutch another painful knockout-stage memory.
English fans need no reminder of how cruel World Cup shootouts can be. For a Netherlands squad packed with talent well known to Premier League audiences, going out on penalties after dominating a group containing Sweden 5-1 will sting for a long time.
Straight back to PSV: ‘I would have preferred a longer holiday’
On Tuesday, Til returned to action in PSV’s 3-0 win over FC Eindhoven, his first outing since the World Cup. The turnaround was quick, as he admitted with a smile: “I would have preferred a slightly longer holiday, but you know how it works.”
PSV remain one of Europe’s great talent factories, the club that polished Cody Gakpo and Noni Madueke before their moves to the Premier League. With barely any summer minutes in his legs, Til at least starts pre-season fresher than most of his international team-mates.
FAQ
How many minutes did Guus Til play at the 2026 World Cup?
Just 31 minutes, all in the second half of the Netherlands’ 5-1 group-stage win over Sweden.
Who knocked the Netherlands out of the 2026 World Cup?
Morocco beat the Netherlands in the round of 16, winning a penalty shootout after an exciting, closely fought match.
What did Guus Til say about his World Cup?
He told ESPN his feelings were mixed: ‘A fantastic experience, but the result is not what we wanted.’
When did Til return to action for PSV?
On Tuesday, in PSV Eindhoven’s 3-0 win over FC Eindhoven, his first minutes for the club since the World Cup.
Why does PSV matter to Premier League fans?
PSV are one of Europe’s most productive talent pipelines, having developed players such as Cody Gakpo and Noni Madueke before their Premier League moves.
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