Advocaat leads Curaçao into 'impossible' dreamland

The Caribbean island nation is the smallest to reach the World Cup thanks to veteran coach and diaspora players

- Will Unwin

The delay in Dick Advocaat becoming Curaçao's head coach might have been ominous but instead it was the foundation for glory. Frustrated by the national federation's financial problems, he deferred starting until January 2024, when the problems were resolved and players paid, paving the way for a historic World Cup qualifying campaign.

Curaçao will be the smallest nation - by land area and population - to play at the World Cup after their 0-0 draw in Jamaica on Wednesday. The Caribbean island has a population of 156,000, sinking the previous record holders, Iceland, which has about 400,000 inhabitants. Last month Cape Verde were confirmed as surprise tournament debutants but the African nation is almost 10 times bigger by area than the former Dutch colony, indicating the level of achievement by Advocaat and his squad.

"It's an impossibility that is made possible," the winger Kenji Gorré says from the team hotel in Jamaica after two hours' sleep. "It's literally impossible for such a small island, such a small 150,000 population, and now to go to the biggest pinnacle of football is unbelievable."

Advocaat initiated contact with Curaçao about the job, knowing that by the time the tournament came around he would be 78. That could be another bit of history because Advocaat may become the oldest coach in the tournament's history, surpassing Otto Rehhagel, who was 71 years and 317 days old when he oversaw Greece's third and final group game in 2010.