Aucun joueur n'y est né: comment Curaçao a réussi l’exploit de se qualifier pour la Coupe du monde 2026
A former Dutch colony, the island of Curaçao, autonomous since 2010, secured its first ever qualification for the World Cup while being heavily influenced by the Netherlands, where all its players were born.
They were born in Rotterdam, Breda, Groningen, or Nijmegen. But none of them were born on the island they just sent to the World Cup for the first time in its history. With its 156,000 inhabitants, Curaçao became the smallest country in history to qualify for the most prestigious football competition, on Tuesday after securing a draw in Jamaica (0-0). This feat was achieved with players all born in the Netherlands and a Dutch coach, Dick Advocaat, who has managed numerous teams, including the Dutch national team.
A large diaspora from Curaçao in the Netherlands
He followed this historic moment from the Netherlands, where he had to return home urgently for a family matter a few days before the match (his assistant, Dean Gorré, was on the bench). He was in The Hague when the unthinkable happened. The Dutch press also widely reported this feat from 8,000 kilometers away. While the small Caribbean island has been an autonomous state since 2010 (following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles federation), it remains part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which established its presence there in the 17th century.
Curaçao has its own Constitution, government, Prime Minister, and local Parliament. However, the Kingdom of the Netherlands remains represented by a governor, and the sovereign functions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense are exercised at the national level. The link between the two countries is therefore strong, with significant student emigration from Curaçao to Dutch cities. It is estimated that 100,000 Curaçao residents currently live in the Netherlands, representing nearly two-thirds of its local population.
All trained in Dutch clubs
The diaspora experienced this crazy evening remotely, particularly in Rotterdam's bars. They erupted in jubilation at the final whistle, while also thinking of Suriname, another former Dutch colony that missed the opportunity for a historic first-ever qualification (it will have to go through the intercontinental playoffs).
Curaçao won't have to endure this wait. The entire island (and beyond) will be watching the group stage draw on December 5th in Washington, with the possibility of being drawn against the Netherlands. It would be a celebration, but also an opportunity for the players to test themselves against the Oranje stars they've been around, more or less closely, during their youth development.
The players representing the island's national football team all honed their skills in the academies of Eredivisie clubs, baseball being the most popular sport in Curaçao. On Tuesday, the team, nicknamed "The Blue Wave" or "La Pantera Negra" (The Black Panther), was cheered on by 400 fans in Jamaica, where hearts were put to the test with three Jamaican shots hitting the post and a penalty overturned by VAR in stoppage time. Among the delegation was businessman Atilay Uslu, owner of the Corendon tourism group and the main sponsor of the Football Federation. And like the rest of the team, he is, of course, Dutch.
Commentaires (5)
Les joueurs originaires de ces colonies néerlandaises (Suriname, Curaçao et Aruba) ont pendant longtemps fait les beaux jours de la Hollande. On se souvient de Gullit, Kluivert, Rijkard, Seedorf, Davids, Memphis Depay, Van Dijk, etc...
Cela fait plaisir de les voir relever le niveau des sélections de leurs parents.
Correction: Depay est d'origine africaine.
Ghanéenne plus précisément.
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c'est ca la Beaute de la Coupe du Monde a 48 Pays..ca nous permet de Decouvrir des Pays si lointain et presque inconnu de l'echiquier Mondial .
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