Curaçao Becomes the Smallest Nation Ever to Reach a World Cup

Curaçao has qualified for the World Cup, becoming the smallest country ever to reach the tournament. The Caribbean island has about 155,000 residents, breaking Iceland’s 2018 record of 331,000, and its 444 square kilometers of territory also make it the smallest nation by area ever to advance, smaller than Cape Verde and about 50 times smaller than Israel.

The team’s rise has come under Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, who has led the side since January 2024. The 78-year-old is in his eighth international coaching job after previous stints with the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Belgium, Russia, Serbia and Iraq. If he is on the bench this summer, he would become the oldest coach in World Cup history, surpassing Otto Rehhagel, who coached Greece at age 71 in 2010.

Advocaat traveled with the team to Kingston, Jamaica, for the decisive qualifier but flew back to the Netherlands soon after landing for what the federation described as family reasons. He said, “This is a very difficult decision for me to leave the boys here. I had to make it with a heavy heart, but family is more important than football. I will stay in close contact with the staff, and I have full confidence in the players.” He was replaced by Dean Gorré, the father of Kenji Gorré and also coach of the women’s national team. Dean Gorré has coached the men’s side before, and players once even protested to keep him in the job.

Only one player in the current squad was born on the island, Tahith Chong, a Manchester United academy product. The rest, including the coach, were born in the Netherlands but are eligible through family ties. Among the goalkeepers, Eloy Room had been without a club for a year before being called up, Tyrique Bodak has yet to make a senior appearance, and Trevor Doornbusch played only once this season for second-division Dutch side Venlo. Midfielder Juninho Bacuna, who chose Curaçao after representing Dutch youth teams, said the project convinced him to commit and noted that he plays alongside his older brother and captain, Leandro Bacuna. Curaçao’s squad also includes players from clubs in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Maccabi Haifa and smaller Dutch teams, underscoring how an underdog squad has reached the 48-team World Cup.