Players from the tiny but beautiful Caribbean island of Curacao are 90 minutes away from creating World Cup history.
If they avoid defeat away at Jamaica on Tuesday night (Wednesday 01:00 GMT), Curacao – guided by former Netherlands and Rangers boss Dick Advocaat – will qualify for the finals for the first time.
They would become the smallest nation ever to play at the World Cup. That record is held by Iceland, who reached the 2018 finals, but their country is far bigger than Curacao, which has a population of just over 150,000 (similar to Cambridge or Huddersfield) and a land area smaller than the Isle of Man.
“It’s crazy and would be one of the biggest things that will happen to Curacao,” said midfielder Juninho Bacuna, a former Huddersfield, Rangers and Birmingham player.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he added: “It’s incredible and amazing. Even a few years ago you would not even think about it, but now we are this close.
“We’re certain to just give our all to qualify for the World Cup. To be personally part of it and to make that dream come true would be incredible.”
Curacao, 37 miles off the Venezuela coast, only became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010, following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
Ten years ago they were 150th in Fifa’s world rankings. Now they are 82nd.
The expanded 2026 World Cup format, which features 48 nations instead of 32, along with the fact hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States all qualify automatically, has given Curacao a much-improved chance.
And in nine qualifying matches, they have won seven. A 2-0 home win over Jamaica in October, followed by a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago and a 7-0 away thrashing of Bermuda on Friday, has them top of their group with one match to go.
In the final game, they are away at Jamaica, who are one point behind Curacao and will qualify themselves with a victory.
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