A Caribbean island smaller than the Isle of Man, with a population of just 158,000, is about to make football history. Curacao will become the smallest nation ever to compete at a FIFA World Cup 2026, measured both by size and population — and the entire island is buzzing with anticipation.

"It brings so much joy and pride to the island that you can't describe it. The whole island is turning blue," said Curacao Football Federation (FFK) president Gilbert Martina.

A squad built from the diaspora

Only one player in the Curacao squad — Tahith Chong — was born on the island itself. The remaining 25 players were all born in the mainland Netherlands, reflecting a deliberate strategy that began when the FFK started recruiting from their diaspora and hiring high-profile Dutch coaches, starting with Patrick Kluivert in 2015.

Miami FC goalkeeper Eloy Room, 37, was among the first wave of Dutch-based players to declare for Curacao that year. Captain Leandro Bacuna, a former Aston Villa and Cardiff midfielder, followed in 2016.

"We've done something so nice for Curacao," Bacuna said. "I started this journey 10 years ago and wanted to make the people from Curacao proud. The manager keeps saying we are not finished. We want to show people that, as small as we are, we have a big heart."

His brother Juninho Bacuna — who has played for Huddersfield, Rangers, and Birmingham — joined the national team in 2019. "It's one thing we always wished for," the 28-year-old said. "When we were kids we dreamed of playing together in one team on one pitch."

Some 18 players in the squad have represented the Netherlands at youth level, with Riechedly Bazoer and Joshua Brenet having earned senior caps. Fifteen of the current squad made their Curacao debut since 2023, underscoring how rapidly this group has come together.

Advocaat's ripple effect

FFK president Martina credits much of their success to the arrival of veteran Dutch manager Dick Advocaat in 2024. At 78, Advocaat will become the oldest head coach in FIFA World Cup history when Curacao face Germany in Group E on Sunday.

"A high-quality coach like Dick Advocaat creates a ripple effect, it creates a belief," Martina said. "He prepared the mindset that the team has to learn to play for results instead of playing for fun."

Curacao went unbeaten throughout qualifying — recording seven wins and three draws — though Advocaat missed the decisive goalless draw against Jamaica for family reasons. Assistant boss Dean Gorre, a former Huddersfield, Barnsley, and Blackpool player, took charge for that match. His son Kenji Gorre, a former Swansea winger now in the squad, was on the pitch that night.

Advocaat briefly stepped down in February to care for his ill daughter, with Fred Rutten replacing him. But after two defeats in March and reported pressure from players and sponsors, Advocaat returned — and Curacao followed up a 4-1 loss to Scotland with a 4-0 win over neighbours Aruba in their warm-up fixtures.

Not independent, but fiercely proud

Curacao are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands — not a fully sovereign nation — placing them among only six non-independent nations to have qualified for a World Cup, alongside England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the 1938 qualifiers Dutch East Indies. All Curacao nationals hold Dutch passports, and the island only established its own football federation in 2010, following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

Boudino de Jong, co-founder of Profound, the FFK's digital partners, said the squad's Dutch roots are no source of tension on the island. "We're very used to our diaspora also being outside the island. Even if a player is not born here, they feel an extreme connection and identify as Curacaoan."

Thousands of Blue Wave supporters are expected to travel to Houston for Curacao's World Cup debut against Germany, with same-day charter flights arranged from the island. Captain Bacuna summed up the mood: "People look at us always having fun and dancing. We are all together. But as soon as the referee blows the whistle we have one thing on our mind — getting a result."