Timber battles lingering thoughts of missed penalty versus Morocco

Midfielder Quinten Timber saw his penalty saved in the World Cup shoot‑out against Morocco, a moment that has haunted the 25‑year‑old Crystal Palace player. He joined Justin Kluivert and Crysencio Summerville in missing their spot‑kicks, a disappointment he says has been difficult to process.

Preparation and mindset

Timber explained to the Algemeen Dagblad that he had anticipated the possibility of a shoot‑out and trained extensively for it. “There is a big chance of a penalty series, and I have done a lot of training to be ready,” he said.

He admitted that processing the miss was not easy. “You go on holiday, but the penalty stays in your head. At night you wonder ‘why, why?’” he told the newspaper.

Timber relives painful World Cup penalty as Dutch hopes fade

The former Feyenoord player fell against Japan in the group stage, suffering a concussion that kept him sidelined briefly. He returned for the Morocco match, despite lingering doubts about his fitness on the day.

During the shoot‑out, Timber stepped up, but struck the ball incorrectly. “I missed it, it’s bitter to experience that,” he said, adding that tension may have played a part but he could not pinpoint it.

The miss sealed the knockout defeat, ending the Dutch side’s World Cup campaign and leaving Timber to reflect on the mental toll of high‑pressure moments.