Curaçao Take the World Cup Debutant Spot: Smallest Nation in History, Advocaat Back at the Helm
Dick Advocaat has named Curaçao's 26-man squad for their first World Cup. With a population of just over 150,000 and a land area of 171 square miles, the Caribbean island is the smallest nation ever to reach the tournament. Captain Leandro Bacuna leads alongside his brother Juninho. Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Côte d'Ivoire.
C uraçao have completed an unlikely climb to the 2026 World Cup. With a population of just over 150,000 and a land area of 171 square miles, the Caribbean island, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, becomes the smallest nation ever to reach the finals. The Blue Wave sealed the CONCACAF spot with a goalless draw against Jamaica, and Dick Advocaat has now confirmed the 26 who will travel.
Advocaat back, Bacuna brothers anchor the midfield
Advocaat, who managed the Netherlands at USA 1994 and South Korea at Germany 2006, led Curaçao through qualifying, stepped down for personal reasons in February, and returned this month to take charge of the tournament after the brief Fred Rutten interim. Captain Leandro Bacuna, who played in the Premier League for Aston Villa and Cardiff City, leads in midfield alongside his younger brother Juninho Bacuna, who had a Premier League spell with Huddersfield. The brothers form the on-pitch leadership of an Eredivisie-rooted side.
Premier League and Eredivisie pathways
Three Curaçao players play in England: Tahith Chong at Sheffield United, Sontje Hansen at Middlesbrough and Ar'Jany Martha at Rotherham United. The Eredivisie pathway is even more prominent, with Armando Obispo (PSV Eindhoven), Sherel Floranus (PEC Zwolle), Deveron Fonville (NEC Nijmegen), Tyrick Bodak and Tyrese Noslin (SC Telstar), Brandley Kuwas and Juninho Bacuna (FC Volendam), Godfried Roemeratoe and Roshon Van Eijma (RKC Waalwijk), Kevin Felida (FC Den Bosch) all in Dutch football. Veteran goalkeeper Eloy Room and forward Jürgen Locadia anchor the squad's spell at Miami FC.
Group E fixtures
Curaçao open against Germany on June 14 in Houston, face Ecuador on June 20 in Kansas City and close the group against Côte d'Ivoire on June 25 in Philadelphia. The opening match against Germany pulls the most attention, but the Ivory Coast game on the closing matchday is the more realistic chance to deliver the result that would let the smallest nation ever to qualify also become the smallest nation to advance.