Curacao was part of what was geopolitically known as the Netherlands Antilles between 1954 and 2010, along with Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten. However, for the past 15 years, it has been able to boast of being an autonomous country… belonging to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Therefore, to cite just one example, all citizens of Curacao have a Dutch passport and enjoy the same rights as the inhabitants of the European Union.
A unique case, fueled by reminiscences of the past, could lead to an unprecedented event in the history of soccer: Curacao could qualify for the 2026 World Cup without a single player born on its territory.
The 24 players called up by Dick Advocaat, who managed the ‘Oranje’ in three different spells (1992-94, 2002-04 and 2017), were all born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but on European soil: Amsterdam, Groningen, Emmen, Haarlem, Rotterdam…“There are many players who dreamed of playing for the Netherlands one day. Some are already 23, 24 or 25 years old and no longer think about the national team. We should give them a chance,” Advocaat said, referring to Riechedly Bazoer and Justin Kluivert, at his debut.
Many players who dreamed of playing for the Netherlands one day are already 23, 24 or 25 years old and do not think about the national team
In the initial list – to which Jürgen Locadia was added – there was a player born in Curacao, Tahith Chong (Willemstad, 1999), but the Sheffield United midfielder was not “fit enough” and finally stayed in England.
The origin of the players called up by Curacao
- Eloy Room (Nijmegen, Netherlands)
- Tyrick Bodak (Almere, Netherlands)
- Trevor Doornbusch (Haarlem, Netherlands)
- Shurandy Sambo (Geldrop, Netherlands)
- Roshon van Eijma (Tilburg, Netherlands)
- Sherel Floranus (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
- Armando Obispo (Boxtel, Netherlands)
- Joshua Brenet (Kerkrade, Netherlands)
- Deveron Fonville (Nieuwegein, Netherlands)
- Juriën Gaari (Kerkrade, Netherlands)
- Godfried Roemeratoe (Oost-Souburg, Netherlands)
- Juninho Bacuna (Groningen, Netherlands)
- Livano Comenencia (Breda, Netherlands)
- Leandro Bacuna (Groningen, Netherlands)
- Ar’jany Martha (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
- Tyrese Noslin (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
- Kevin Felida (Spijkenisse, Netherlands)
- Gervane Kastaneer (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
- Jeremy Antonisse (Rosmalen, Netherlands)
- Sontje Hansen (Hoorn, Netherlands)
- Kenji Gorre (Spijkenisse, Netherlands)
- Jürgen Locadia (Emmen, Netherlands)
- Jearl Margaritha (Groningen, Netherlands)
- Jordi Paulina (Odijk, Netherlands)
“For a year and a half, I was put under a lot of pressure regarding some players who still thought they could wear the ‘Oranje’, but fortunately, they have chosen Curacao,” insists Advocaat.“I’m proud. I have a lot of family in Curacao and going to the World Cup is a huge experience. You can’t compare it to playing in the youth teams. I’m really looking forward to what’s to come,” says Armando Obispo (PSV), one of the last to join the ‘Blue Wave’.
I’m proud. I have a lot of family in Curacao and getting to the World Cup is a huge experience
The truth is that, with or without overseas players, they have caught the ‘good wave’. The thrashing of Bermuda (0-7) allows Curacao (11 points) to arrive as the sole leader of Group B – Jamaica is second with 10 – to the last day of the CONCACAF qualifiers.
“Our arrival generated some skepticism. It was not surprising. In the past they had other coaches who were not very successful (Kluivert, Hiddink, Bicentini…), so we could understand their position. But soon they realized that we had not come to Curacao to sunbathe,” recalls Cor Pot, Advocaat’s assistant
They soon realized that we had not come to Curacao to sunbathe
“The coaches paid for the flights out of their own pockets,” says Advocaat, who has turned things around. Just over 90 minutes separate Curacao from making history. It would dethrone Cape Verde (4,033 square kilometers) as the smallest country to play in a World Cup – it has 444 square kilometers – and Iceland (331,000 inhabitants) as the least populated: it has only 155,000 citizens.Curiously, they will play against Jamaica in Jamaica – a draw will be enough – and without Advocaat. “It’s a very difficult decision to have to leave the boys here, but family is more important than football,” said the ‘Little Napoleon’, who leaves his assistants (Cor Pot and Dean Gorre) in charge: “I will keep in close contact with the coaching staff and I have full confidence in this group of players”.
It’s a very difficult decision to have to leave the boys here, but family is more important than football
Even Ronald Koeman, the Netherlands coach, sympathised with Advocaat: “It’s a shame that Dick has to leave for family reasons. I don’t know what they are, I hope they are not serious”. Whether or not they go to the World Cup, one thing is certain: they have already earned a place in the hearts of football fans.
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