BY ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/EPA
Tahith Chong (the only Curaçao-born squad member) and Curaçao’s Kevin Felida participate in a training session in Noordwijk, Netherlands
The team coached by Dick Advocaat arrives in America with practically exclusive “Dutch DNA”: there are as many players born in the Netherlands as… the Netherlands.
Curaçao’s debut at the 2026 World Cup has become one of the tournament’s most curious stories. In November, the team made history by becoming the nation with the smallest population to qualify for the final phase of a World Cup. And it arrives in North America with a practically exclusive “Dutch DNA”: there are as many players born in the Netherlands as… the Netherlands.
Of the 26 called up, 25 were born in Dutch territory: only Tahith Chonga 26-year-old attacking midfielder trained in Manchester United’s youth system, was born on the island, more precisely in Willemstad. The Sheffield United athlete even represented the Netherlands at youth level before choosing to defend the team linked to his family roots.
Centennial relationship
The small Caribbean island is just 444 square kilometers and has around 185,500 inhabitants. It is a historical relationship, the one it maintains today with the Netherlands.
To be exact, it all starts in 1634when the Dutch West India Company conquered the island from the Spanish. Curaçao became a strategic point for Dutch maritime trade. And during the 17th and 18th centuries, it was an important warehouse in the transatlantic slave trade. After the abolition of slavery in 1863, Curaçao remained under Dutch administration.
In 1954, Curaçao became part of the Netherlands Antilles, an autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2010, with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, Curaçao became an autonomous country within the Kingdom, maintaining constitutional ties with The Hague.
Advocaat convinced stars
As an autonomous territory in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the two countries maintain ties, politically and culturally, which have allowed many families to settle in Europe, with a direct impact, also, within the four lines. Players of Curacao descent were trained in Dutch academies, benefiting from professional structures far superior to those available on the island.
The (also) Dutch Dick Lawyerwho commands the Curaçao national team, was one of the biggest steps in the federation’s competitive leap forward, which will debut at the World Cup.
The experienced Dutch coach, who led the Netherlands team in the 1994 World Cup, the 2004 Euro Cup (eliminated by Portugal), the Republic of Korea in the 2006 World Cup and Russia in the 2012 Euro Cup, set up a kind of observation network designed to convince players with Curacao roots, but without space in the Dutch team, to represent Curaçao. Among the most recognizable names are Eloy Room, Riechedly Bazoer, Joshua Brenet, Juninho Bacuna and Jurgen Locadia, all with experience in European football.
No Group ECuraçao makes its debut against the giant Germanyon June 14th. Then face the Ecuador ea Ivory Coast.
Very natural from France. Two Portuguese were born abroad
Almost a quarter of the players were not born in the country they will represent at the World Cup, according to . 289 players (23.1%) were born outside the country they will defend in the tournament.
Curaçao is the most obvious case. But Portugal’s first opponents, DR Congo, are close behind, with 20 players born abroad. Next comes Morocco, with 19 and a European, Bosnia Herzegovina, with 17. And 6% (75 players) of all 1248 players from the 48 teams present at the World Cup were born in France.
Portugal has two players born outside the country. The goalkeeper Diogo Costa was born in Rothrist, Switzerland, and Matheus Nunes was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
