Curacao’s World Cup formula: family, freedom, and a happier camp

Curacao, the Caribbean debutant at the World Cup in the United States, has adopted an unusually open team policy. Dutch coach Dick Advocaat allows players to stay in the team hotel with their partners and children, unlike the sealed-off hotel setups common in international football. Team doctor Suzanne Horman, the only doctor at the tournament, said players can share a room with a teammate or stay with family, and when children are present, the family gets an extra room.

Horman said this approach fits Curacao’s culture and can help players mentally. Asked about intimacy during the tournament, she said, "Yes, I believe sex helps, but mainly on an emotional level and not necessarily directly physiologically." She added that in a long competition like the World Cup, family presence reduces homesickness and gives players peace of mind. Because many of Curacao’s players do not compete at football’s highest level, the federation paid the travel and stay costs so families could join them in the United States.

On the pitch, Curacao has one point from two matches. It drew 0-0 with Ecuador after losing 7-1 to Germany. Still, for the tiny Caribbean nation of just over 150,000 people, becoming the smallest country ever to qualify for a World Cup is a historic achievement.

Goalkeeper Elroy Room was the standout against Ecuador, making 15 saves, the most ever recorded by a goalkeeper in a World Cup match since official tracking began. His performance earned Curacao its first World Cup point. "It means everything to us," Room said. "It feels like a win. It’s our first point at a World Cup."