With a population of only 150,000, Curaçao broke Iceland’s record as the country with the fewest inhabitants (350,000) to reach the World Cup. Curaçao has an area of approximately 440 square kilometers (171 sq mi), making it approximately six times smaller than Rhode Island, the smallest state in the US.
Curaçao is known for its beaches and diving sites as well as the wines named after it. Baseball, not football, is the top sport on the island, which has sent approximately 15 players to the United States major leagues. Perhaps their most famous player is Andruw Jones, who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York this year after spending 17 seasons in the majors.
“Football used to be very big here. From the 1960s to the ’80s, everyone watched it,” Carl Ruiter, a Curacao sports correspondent, told DW.
Ten teams compete in the Prom División, Curaçao’s top football league. A domestic cup competition was established the previous year.
Undefeated in qualifying
World Cup qualifying gave a big boost to football on the island. The stadiums were packed for the final home games.
Ruiter said, “It was a sign that the whole country was really invested – desperate to get to the World Cup and eager to support our national team.”
The expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams obviously made it much easier for football giants like Curaçao to qualify, but nevertheless, their campaign was notable as the team remained undefeated throughout.
In their final match in Jamaica they needed just a draw to qualify. However, with the score 0-0 in stoppage time, Jamaica was awarded a penalty. However, much to the relief of the team and fans, the decision was overturned after a VAR review and a review by Curaçao. After the final whistle the players shed tears of joy.
“We made the impossible possible,” striker Kenji Gorre shouted into the camera. “I have no words. A dream come true.”
excitement on the island
“I was in Kingston for the game,” Ruiter said. “We didn’t sleep.”
Back home, fans danced all night with fireworks and a parade of cars. The team was welcomed by the fans the next day.
“World Cup qualifying has really united our country,” he said.
People are clearly proud of the national team and players like captain Leandro Bacuna have become role models for youngsters who now want to play football themselves.
Most players from Netherlands
But where does the success of a team ranked 82nd in the FIFA world rankings come from? In fact, the national team has been in existence since 2011. It is linked to the country’s history, as Curaçao was once a Dutch colony. In 1954, it became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands – along with Aruba and Bonaire – as part of the Netherlands Antilles, with its own football team. In 2010, Curaçao gained autonomy with its own government, parliament, and eventually football team.
In January 2024, veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat took charge of the team and recruited players from his homeland. This is possible because all people in Curaçao have Dutch passports by default. However, to be eligible to represent the country, a player’s parents or grandparents must be born on the island.
Midfielder Tahit Chong is one of the few players actually born in Curaçao. Most of the others are from the Netherlands; Many were trained and played in Europe.
fan engagement
However, the players are not viewed as mercenaries with no ties to Curaçao, Ruiten said.
“Many people regularly vacation here and have family living here. Most, if not all, speak the local language, Papiamento.”
Fans are now preparing to travel to the United States for a historic first match against their biggest rival to date: Germany. Ecuador and Ivory Coast are the other teams in Group E. Expatriate members from the Netherlands and the United States are also expected to come to cheer on their team.
Change in coaching just before the World Cup
However, a hitch emerged a few weeks before the World Cup, when Advocaat resigned after his daughter became seriously ill. He was replaced by Fred Rutten, also an experienced Dutch coach at international level. But under Rutan’s leadership the team lost its first two matches.
However in May, after the health condition of the advocate’s daughter improved, he became available again. Ruttan immediately announced his resignation.
“An environment must not be allowed to develop that undermines healthy professional relationships within the team and coaching staff,” he said in a statement released by the Curaçao FA. Media reports suggest that players and sponsors were struggling to regain advocacy.
The 78-year-old advocate is now set to become the oldest person to coach in the Men’s World Cup. That record was broken twice on the opening day of the tournament, first by South Africa’s Hugo Bruce, who is 74, then later by Czech coach Miroslav Koubek, who is 74 but a few months older.
“We have proven that we are difficult to defeat,” Advocaat recently told Reuters news agency.
“But the opponents in this group are definitely of a different quality. We know it will be very difficult, but nothing is impossible.”
This article was originally published in German.