HOUSTON — Curacao coach Dick Advocaat believes the Caribbean island can “steal some points” from four-time winners Germany on their tournament debut on Sunday.
The 78-year-old Dutchman will also become the oldest coach in World Cup history and will take charge of a third different nation at a World Cup after the Netherlands and South Korea.
Despite his vast experience in both the club and international game, Advocaat said the team spirit that has carried a nation of just 160,000 to the World Cup is the best he has seen.
“The team spirit in this team is something I’ve never seen before. As a country we will give everything to win for the island, but we’re not the favourite,” Advocaat said at his pre-match press conference.
“When you are participating with the Netherlands or a bigger team, you are one of the favourites. Now it is just amazing to be a part of this.
“We would like to show them what we can do and what we’re worth. And for the island of Curacao, it is amazing what we have shown the people over the past two years.”
A daunting task awaits Advocaat’s side.
As well as facing Germany in Group E, they will take on an Ecuador side that finished second in South American qualifying and African powerhouses Ivory Coast.
“I think we will have to steal some points, but in a legitimate way. We want to show them that we have a good plan,” added Advocaat according to AFP.
“Germany will be the dominant team and that is normal.”
Curacao’s carefree attitude has already won admirers online with players singing and dancing bare-chested on the team bus in a viral social media post.
“We are a nation that we love to have a little bit of a party as well,” said captain Leandro Bacuna. “We love to have fun.”
Bacuna, like most of his team-mates, was born in the Netherlands but is proud of his heritage and the achievement of putting Curacao on the map.
“People sometimes say I’m not really from Curacao. But these are people, my parents, who had been looking for opportunities and these opportunities are not always present on Curacao,” added the former Aston Villa midfielder.
“But we are Curacaoans and we love Curacao!”
