Curaçao appeared on the football's biggest stage, the FIFA World Cup, with a goal against the mighty Germans. The island nation officially began playing football in 2011, meaning it has reached the World Cup in just 15 years. An achievement that truly feels extraordinary.
Despite suffering a heavy 7–1 defeat against Germany in their opening match, simply having the chance to represent themselves on the global stage is already a major moment of pride for Curaçao's supporters.
Located in the southern Caribbean Sea, Curaçao covers just 444 square kilometres, larger than the size of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), which is 306 square kilometresKm, but smaller than the size of Dhaka Metropolitan City.
Its population is equally strikingly small, around 160,000 people, compared to a megacity like Dhaka, Bangladesh, which alone has more than 10 million residents.
However, it is neither a fully independent country nor strictly a colony. Within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Curaçao gained autonomous status in 2010. While foreign affairs and defence remain under Dutch control, the island manages its own internal governance.
Before gaining recognition in football, Curaçao had already made its mark in world sport baseball. Since 1989, 17 Major League Baseball players have emerged from the island.
In football, the influence of Dutch 'Total Football' is clearly visible. Dutch legends such as Patrick Kluivert and Guus Hiddink have also coached the national team at different times.
Curaçao secured its place at the World Cup by winning 7 of its 10 qualifying matches and drawing the remaining 3.
Across those games, they scored a total of 28 goals, an indication of their attacking strength.
As soon as they qualified, Adidas became their official kit sponsor.
The national team's head coach, Dick Advocaat, is a Dutchman who has previously managed South Korea and the Netherlands at the World Cup. This tournament marks his third World Cup as a coach, and at 78, he is also the oldest coach in the competition.
Advocaat played a key role in Curaçao's qualification journey.
He personally contacted the president of the Curaçao Football Federation, Gilberto Martina, to express his desire to take charge of the team.
However, he had initially considered stepping down due to his daughter's illness. Still, he later returned to the dugout after encouragement from fans and players, and as his daughter's condition improved.
The day Curaçao secured qualification for the World Cup through a goalless draw against Jamaica, the nation's people celebrated in a truly extraordinary way. Hundreds of people spent the entire night celebrating that historic moment.
Their qualification campaign shows that Curaçao are a possession-based side, typically operating in 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formations. For them, simply participating in the World Cup is as significant as winning it.
In their second group-stage match, Curaçao will face Ecuador on Sunday at 6:00 AM Bangladesh time.
How long this journey will last remains to be seen. But for such a small nation, reaching the World Cup in such a short span of time is nothing short of remarkable.
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