A World Cup team has 25 players born in the Netherlands.

Making their World Cup debut, Curacao surprised everyone by having only one player born on the island in their 26-man squad.

Curacao is participating in the World Cup for the first time.

Curacao is one of the most fascinating stories of the 2026 World Cup. This Caribbean nation, with a population of only about 155,000 and an area of ​​less than 450 square kilometers, has qualified for the biggest football event on the planet for the first time.

However, what makes Curacao special is not its population size or historical achievements. Of the 26 players preparing for the World Cup, only one was born in Curacao. All 25 of the remaining players were born in the Netherlands.

It may sound unbelievable, but it's the result of a well-planned strategy developed over many years. Curacao was once part of the Dutch Antilles and remains an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This historical connection has allowed many players of Curacao origin to be born, raised, and develop their football careers in Europe, before choosing to represent their family's homeland.

Tahith Chong is a prime example. He played for the Dutch youth teams up to the U21 level but later decided to dedicate himself to Curacao. He is also the only player in the current squad born in Willemstad, the capital of the island.

Dick Advocaat will be the oldest coach in World Cup history.

Behind Curacao's success lies the mark of coach Dick Advocaat. The veteran Dutch strategist took over the national team in 2024 with a clear mission: to assemble players of Curacao origin who had previously played for Dutch youth teams but struggled to secure a place in the senior national team.

The plan quickly paid off. Curacao topped their qualifying group and secured their first-ever World Cup appearance.

After qualifying for the tournament, Advocaat left the team for family reasons but later returned to coach. At 78 years old, he will become the oldest coach in World Cup history.

On June 14th, Curacao will have a memorable debut against Germany. Despite being considered much weaker than their opponents in Group E, which includes Germany, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast, Curacao has become one of the most noteworthy stories of the 2026 World Cup even before the tournament began.

Source: https://znews.vn/mot-doi-du-world-cup-co-25-tuyen-thu-sinh-o-ha-lan-post1655873.html