Curacao Makes History as Smallest Nation to Qualify for World Cup Finals

In a momentous achievement, Curacao secured their place in the World Cup finals with a goalless draw against Jamaica during their final qualifying match. This remarkable feat has established them as the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup, surpassing the previous record held by Iceland, which qualified for the 2018 tournament in Russia. In contrast to Curacao’s modest size, with a population exceeding 150,000 and a land area of 171 square miles, Iceland is significantly larger.

Curacao will join the ranks of debutants at the 2026 World Cup, alongside Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. This accomplishment is particularly significant for a nation that became a recognized country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010, following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. Just a decade ago, Curacao was ranked 150th by FIFA, but they have made substantial progress, currently holding the 82nd position.

Following the draw, former Manchester United assistant coach Steve McClaren announced his resignation as head coach of the Jamaican national team. McClaren stated, “Over the last 18 months, I have given everything I have to this job. Leading this team has been one of the greatest honors of my career. However, football is a results-driven business, and tonight we have fallen short of our goal of qualifying from this group. It is the responsibility of the leader to take accountability and make decisions in the best interests of the team.”

He continued, “After deep reflection and an honest assessment of our current position and future direction, I have decided to step down. Sometimes, the best course of action for a leader is to recognize when a fresh perspective is needed to propel the team forward.”

Curacao midfielder Juninho Bacuna, formerly of Rangers and Birmingham, expressed his excitement ahead of the match, stating to BBC Radio 5 Live, “It’s crazy and would be one of the biggest things that will happen to Curacao. It’s incredible and amazing. Just a few years ago, this seemed unimaginable. Being part of this journey and making that dream a reality would be incredible.”

Curacao’s head coach, Dick Advocaat, who has previously managed national teams including the Netherlands and Belgium, will make history as the oldest manager at the World Cup at the age of 78, surpassing Otto Rehhagel’s previous record when he managed Greece at 71 during the 2010 tournament.

Despite the disappointing outcome of the draw, Jamaica still retains hopes for qualification. They are set to compete in a six-team mini-tournament in Mexico next March, where they must secure two victories to advance to a final against either the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Iraq. As preparations for these playoffs commence, it remains to be seen who will succeed McClaren as the coach of the Reggae Boyz.