The Netherlands beat Sweden 5-1 in the second round of group F of the World Cup and surpassed the tournament’s unbeaten record in consecutive matches.
Brazil held the record for the longest undefeated streak between World Cups for 60 years: there were 13 matches without defeat between the 1958 and 1966 World Cups, with 11 wins and 2 draws.
The team won the 1958 and 1962 titles without losing a single game (six matches in each edition) and extended the series with a victory in the 1966 World Cup debut. The sequence only came to an end in the second match of that World Cup, when Brazil was defeated 3-1 by Hungary in the group stage.
With this Friday’s victory, the Netherlands surpassed the Brazilian record and reached 14 consecutive games without defeat in World Cups.
The series began in 2014, when the Dutch won the first four games of the tournament. In the quarter-finals, they drew 0-0 with Costa Rica and advanced on penalties. They then repeated the score against Argentina in the semi-final, but also ended up eliminated in the penalty shootout (a result that is not counted as a defeat).
Absent from the 2018 World Cup, the Netherlands returned to the tournament in 2022 and continued the streak. There were two wins and a draw in the group stage, plus a 3-1 victory over the United States in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, they drew 2-2 with Argentina in one of the most exciting matches of the edition, being eliminated again on penalties.
Now, in 2026, after drawing 2-2 with Japan in their debut and beating Sweden, the Dutch reached their 14th consecutive game without defeat and took over the record.
Leader of group F, the Netherlands could be Brazil’s opponent in the World Cup knockout stage.
THE GOALS
Young striker Brobbey, aged 24, scored the first early, 5 minutes into the game, receiving the ball in the box after a cross from Gakpo.
Shortly after, at 16, Brobbey returned to the mark after a cross, with a ball on the ball.
The Dutch completely dominated the match until the hydration break, when the Swedes adjusted their team and managed to mount good attacks until the end of the stage, but did not convert.
In the second half, the Dutch resumed the match in the first minute, with a goal from Gakpo after another cross in the area from Summerville.
Seven minutes later, Gakpo reappeared and scored a great goal in his style: he cut from left to right and hit the goalkeeper’s right corner low.
Shortly after the fourth goal, Swede Elanga entered, who scored the Norse’s consolation goal within three minutes.
From then on, Sweden still tried some moves, but the game lost intensity. At 43 minutes, Summerville scored the fifth to seal the victory with a shot into the corner of the goal, from the edge of the area.
GROUP F
Now, the Netherlands have 4 points and lead the group. Sweden, despite the defeat, remains in second place, with 3 points. Japan, with 1 point, and Tunisia, zero, duel at 1am this Sunday (20).
