Curacao has etched its name in football history by becoming the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup.
The Caribbean island, home to just 185,000 people, celebrated after drawing with Jamaica in a decisive qualifying match at Kingston’s National Stadium on Tuesday night.
A lively contingent of Curacao fans, described by captain Leandro Bacuna as the team’s “ultras,” travelled on two chartered planes to support the squad. Though the majority of the 35,000-strong crowd backed Jamaica, the Curacao supporters waved flags and cheered passionately from their section.
Experience at the helm
Veteran manager Dick Advocaat, 78, could not attend the match in person, having returned to the Netherlands to support his wife, who was unwell.
Despite this, he stayed in contact with his coaching staff and sent a message to the squad after the match.
“Congrats. Incredible, fantastic, so good! What an adventure.”
Advocaat, who has previously led the Netherlands, South Korea, and Russia at major tournaments, will now guide Curacao at its first World Cup appearance.
Building a squad across continents
Gilbert Martina, president of the Curacao Football Federation, explained the long-term plan behind the team’s growth. Advocaat was chosen after other high-profile Dutch managers, including Bert van Marwijk and Louis van Gaal, were approached. Martina said.
“You should see him on the pitch, how much energy, how much passion, how much discipline.”
The squad is predominantly made up of players from the Netherlands with Curacaoan heritage, reflecting the island’s historical ties to the Netherlands. Only one player, Tahith Chong, was born on Curacao.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Leandro Bacuna, the team’s captain, became the squad’s most-capped player with 68 appearances. His brother Juninho and teammate Kenji Gorre also play professionally overseas.
“This journey started back in 2004 with the former president of the federation, Mr Jean Francisco, who said, ‘We can qualify because we have the players’,” Martina said. “From that moment, we have seen an enormous growth in the team.”
Bacuna described the achievement as the culmination of a long-held dream.
“We started off with something like a dream to qualify for the World Cup and we could pick players from the Netherlands because we are a Dutch Caribbean island, we could have both nationalities, Now everyone is seeing it like a big thing. So we are really proud.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Juninho Bacuna emphasised the importance of team cohesion.
“There is only a short time together at any international camp, but a lot of players have been here together for a long time. We have one big family, and if you’re one big family outside the pitch, you will connect on the pitch.”
Dramatic night in Kingston
The match itself was tense, with Jamaica hitting the woodwork three times, while Curacao had several opportunities to score. A late penalty for the home side was overturned by VAR, leaving the final score at 0-0.
Jamaica coach Steve McClaren later resigned despite the team still having a potential route to the World Cup through intercontinental playoffs.
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Photo Credit: Getty Images
The draw was enough to secure qualification. Bacuna reflected on the historic moment:
“I wouldn’t expect us to be at the World Cup. I had a dream about it, like about two or three weeks and now that it’s finally coming, I’m in my room every day, I’m like, ‘I want to go out, I want to train, I want to have this game. I want it done and dusted, you know? I want to be there’.”
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Curacao will now make its World Cup debut, capping a journey more than two decades in the making.
