Curaçao
CONCACAF • CONCACAF
Tournament Outlook
Group stage exit likely, but Advocaat's tactical discipline could spring a surprise result echoing Iceland's famous Euro 2016 run.
Best World Cup Result: Debut (2026)
About Curaçao
Curaçao are the smallest nation by population (~155,000) ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, surpassing Iceland's 2018 record. Their squad is built on Dutch-born players of Curaçaoan heritage, and led by legendary 78-year-old Dick Advocaat, their qualification is one of football's greatest underdog stories.
Playing Style: Dick Advocaat employs a defensively disciplined system emphasizing organized defending, compact shape, and clinical counter-attacks. Curaçao went unbeaten through the entire qualifying campaign.
Key Players
Juninho Bacuna
Bandirmaspor
Tahith Chong
Sheffield United
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Dick Advocaat's vast tactical experience
- Unbeaten qualifying campaign
- Dutch-trained dual-national players with European league experience
- Underdog mentality and fearlessness
Weaknesses
- Extremely small player pool from 155,000 population
- Zero World Cup experience
- Limited squad depth
- Tough group with Germany, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador
World Cup Schedule
Fun Facts
- ⚽Dick Advocaat will become the oldest manager in World Cup history at 78 years old
- ⚽Curaçao's population of ~155,000 is smaller than the capacity of many major football stadiums
- ⚽Their stadium is named after Ergilio Hato, a goalkeeper who turned down Real Madrid because he refused to turn professional
Team Info
- FIFA Code
- CUW
- Confederation
- CONCACAF
- World Cup Appearances
- 1
- Group
- Group E
Fan Culture
An entire island unified as one — with a population smaller than most football stadiums, virtually every citizen becomes a supporter.
Known as: The Blue Wave
Famous Chants: