The Netherlands made a statement Saturday, blowing past Sweden 5-1 in a Group F match that was effectively over by halftime.

Brian Brobbey struck twice in the opening 17 minutes, then Cody Gakpo added two more right after the break, scoring in the 47th and 54th minutes to put the game out of reach. Anthony Elanga pulled one back for Sweden in the 59th minute, but it didn't matter. Crysencio Summerville sealed it with the 89th minute, turning the match into one of the most lopsided results of the tournament.

For Sweden, the loss is a gut punch. It puts real pressure on their group finale against Japan on June 25, with their knockout-stage hopes now hanging in the balance.

But the scoreline wasn't even the biggest story. The win pushed the Netherlands to 14 straight World Cup matches without a loss, officially the longest unbeaten run in tournament history.

The record was previously held by Brazil, who had gone 13 World Cup matches without a loss from 1958 to 1966.

The Flying Dutchmen haven't tasted defeat at a World Cup since 2010, when they suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Spain in the 2010 final on an Andres Iniesta strike in extra time.

Under the record's criteria, penalty-shootout losses count as draws rather than defeats, which is part of how the Dutch run has stretched as long as it has.

More news: Paul Pogba Issues Ominous France Warning Ahead of World Cup Opener

More news: Zlatan Ibrahimovic Calls One World Cup Team a ‘Punching Bag’ in FOX Debut

Entering the 2026 World Cup, the Netherlands were already being talked about as one of the genuine favorites to win it all, built around a spine of Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, and a dangerous front line led by Cody Gakpo.

Now they sit atop Group F with four points and a +4 goal differential, having scored seven goals in two games, tied with Canada for the second-most in the tournament, just behind a German team that scored nine.

Their final group game comes June 25 against Tunisia at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and a win or even a draw locks up the top spot heading into the knockouts.

More news: 10 Must-Watch Group Stage Matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Source: Newsweek