Curaçao has etched its name in football history after securing a 0-0 draw against Jamaica on Tuesday, becoming the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup. They will join fellow CONCACAF qualifiers Panama and Haiti in the tournament.
Remaining undefeated throughout the qualifiers, Curaçao topped Group B with 12 points, clinching their first-ever World Cup berth. The achievement is particularly remarkable given the absence of their coach, Dick Advocaat, who had to return to the Netherlands last weekend due to family matters.
Advocaat, 78, is a seasoned manager with a distinguished career, having led the Netherlands national team in three separate stints, as well as clubs and national teams in South Korea, Belgium, and Russia, before taking the reins in Curaçao.
With a population of just 156,115 as of January 2025, Curaçao surpasses Iceland then the smallest nation by population, with just over 350,000 people, to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia in claiming this record.
