Published 11 days ago • loading... • Updated 10 days ago
Curacao Names Veteran Coach Dick Advocaat for Historic World Cup Debut
On Monday, the Curaçao football federation announced its first-ever squad for a FIFA World Cup, with the 2026 edition co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Returning head coach Dick Advocaat, 78, will lead the 26-man squad after resigning in February for family matters, positioning him as the oldest manager in World Cup history.
With a population of 156,000, Curaçao is the smallest country to qualify for the tournament, while the diverse squad features players hailing from clubs across 10 different countries.
Led by midfielder Leandro Bacuna, the roster includes winger Tahith Chong, who played for Manchester United before joining Sheffield United in the Championship.
Curaçao is now preparing for upcoming friendlies to finalize strategy before their highly anticipated global debut on the World Cup stage.
Dick Advocaat presented Curaçao's World Cup squad on Monday. The Hague native adds Giovanni Franken as an assistant to a team of which only one player was ever born on the island. "It is going to be difficult, but nothing is impossible."
11 days ago·Amersfoort, Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Curaçao's national team squad for the FIFA 2026 World Cup has been announced. The team, managed by Dick Advocaat, includes three players currently playing in Türkiye.