November 20, 2025 | 12:07 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The national football team of Curacao has made history by qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. They advanced after holding Jamaica to a 0-0 draw in the last match of the Concacaf Zone qualifiers at Independence Park Stadium, Kingston, on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
The draw was enough to secure the top spot in Group B with 12 points, one point ahead of Jamaica. This marks the greatest achievement in the history of Curacao's football since their first international competition.
Here are some interesting facts about the historic success of the Curacao national team, as compiled from FIFA and Burnley Express:
Smallest Population to Ever Qualify for the World Cup
Curacao has become the country with the smallest population to qualify for the final rounds of the World Cup. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics of Curacao, the country's population was only around 156,115 in early 2025. Previously, the record was held by Iceland, which qualified for the 2018 World Cup with a population of over 350,000.
Strategic Location in the Caribbean
Curacao is located in the southern Caribbean Sea, about 65 km north of Venezuela. The island is part of the "ABC" islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) and has the status of a constituency within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Despite being autonomous in domestic affairs, the historical and political relationship with the Netherlands has influenced the development of its football, including in terms of coaching and player development. The Curacao national team has been coached by seven Dutch coaches, including the current one.
Formerly Coached by Patrick Kluivert
One of the seven Dutch coaches who has managed Curacao is Patrick Kluivert, who was removed from the Indonesian national team for failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Kluivert coached Curacao twice, as a permanent coach in 2015 and as an interim coach in 2021. In total, he led the team 18 times during these two periods, achieving seven victories and suffering six defeats. He is credited with building the foundation of the country's football and elevating the team from 151st to 134th in the FIFA rankings.
From Troublemaker to Respected Team
This is Curacao's debut appearance in the World Cup since its establishment as a national team. Previously, the country was only known as a troublemaker in regional competitions like the CONCACAF Gold Cup. However, a consistent performance in the qualifiers-remaining undefeated with a record of three wins and three draws-demonstrates exceptional tactical maturity and mentality. In Group B, they surpassed Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bermuda.
Dick Advocaat Becomes the Oldest Coach
The head coach of Curacao, Dick Advocaat, will go down in history as the oldest coach in the World Cup at the age of 78 when the tournament takes place. Previously, the record was held by Otto Rehhagel (71 years old) when he coached Greece in the 2010 World Cup. Advocaat, who has previously coached the Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, and Belgium, refers to the success of leading Curacao to the World Cup as "one of the greatest achievements" of his career.
During Curacao's match against Jamaica, Advocaat was absent from the stadium due to urgent family matters. He followed the course of the match from The Hague, Netherlands, while providing guidance over the phone.
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