Ruptly
"The Curacao national football team announced its official squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under the guidance of Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, during a presentation event in Willemstad on Tuesday. Footage from the event shows Gilbert Martina, President of the Curacao Football Federation, presenting defenders, midfielders, and forwards representing the Island nation. The Island has secured its first-ever qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making it the smallest country by population (about 156,000) to reach the tournament, breaking Iceland's previous record. Martina acknowledged that the debutants face a monumental challenge, having been drawn into a formidable Group E, beginning their campaign on June 14 against four-time World Cup winners Germany in Houston, Texas. "We have a lot of respect for our opponents. The expectation is to try to earn points in order to qualify for the second round [...] Germany, four-time world champion. Ecuador, second in the Conmebol standings, and Ivory Coast, African champion two years ago. It will be very difficult, but we are going to give everything we can,” said Martina. The president said that under the mentorship of Dick Advocaat, players are accustomed to his style of coaching and draw inspiration when they step onto the field. "We hope there will not be injuries and that everybody stays intact, but if injuries appear, then he has an option to call up. And he always keeps that list because otherwise there could be controversy,” he added. The official squad list was announced after Advocaat's return as Curacao’s head coach last Monday. The Dutch coach had previously resigned from this position in February due to his daughter’s health issues. The squad clinched their spot in CONCACAF Group B by outpacing Jamaica and are placed in Group E, regarded as one of the toughest in the tournament. While Curacao is officially classified as a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it is a self-governing country with its own prime minister, parliament and flag, meaning it competes independently in major international events including the FIFA World Cup."
Go to News Site