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The national anthem of Curaçao is next: Himno di Kòrsou.

I’m enjoying the brass-forward arrangement they’re using for this.

The net rippled and Curaçao’s bench exploded in every conceivable ­direction, their giddiness underpinned by a lucid awareness of the goal’s place in history. Livano Comenencia had just equalised against Germany and an island of 158,000 inhabitants, represented here by an accomplished group born almost entirely in the Netherlands, could revel disbelievingly in a moment it had dreamed of.

Reality eventually bit, Julian Nagelsmann’s side declaring on seven and easily avoiding an embarrassment that would have outdone their group-stage exits in the previous two World Cups. They will surely reach the knockouts this time and could have made absolutely certain by adding several more. Nagelsmann will be pleased that threats emanated from across the pitch, half a dozen different scorers bearing testament to that, but it should go without saying that more accurate tests of strength await. Kai Havertz, rounding things off neatly late on with his second goal, will hope to be similarly efficient later on.

The moment of the match was, without doubt, Curaçao’s equaliser, but Germany looked powerful in romping to a convincing victory

Email! “Tiny Curaçao has just 158,000 citizens, apparently,” says Justin Kavanagh. “So after tonight (assuming they throw on at least four subs), one in every 10,500 Curaçao’s will have played against Germany at a World Cup finals.”

It’s amazing isn’t it? With the expansion of the competition, Curaçao saw the glimmer of an opportunity, backed themselves by appointing first Guus Hiddink then Patrick Kluivert, and Advocaat finished the job. There’ll be a decent atmosphere on the island this lunchtime, I shouldn’t wonder.

The smallest nation ever to compete in the tournament celebrate the long adventure that got them there, and remember those who cannot be there to enjoy it with them

Angelo Cijntje can look back now and smile. It was September 2023 and Curaçao’s trip from Trinidad to Martinique for a Concacaf Nations League game had been complicated on matchday by the lack of a charter flight. “A small propeller plane had to shuttle back and forth, flying players over in groups of six,” Cijntje, the performance coach, says. “The starting XI made it on time, but the subs came in while the game was under way. Their luggage didn’t make it, so they had nothing but their boots, shin pads and maybe a pair of socks.”

Wouter Jansen, Curaçao’s team coordinator, was also part of that trip. “It’s worthy of a film,” he says. “Those are the kind of adventures you never forget.”

From Curaçao and Cape Verde to Morocco and Turkey, fans reflect Dutch city where loyalties are shared, not divided

Three hours before their team’s opening World Cup match on 14 June, about 4,000 football fans are expected to pack into a giant former concrete grain store in Rotterdam that is one of the Dutch city’s best-known nightclub venues.

However, the flags will be blue, not orange, and the aroma of arros moro will fill the air as the room pulsates to the beat of conga drums and ritmo kombina. The Maassilo has been booked to host the watch party for Curaçao, the least populous country to qualify for the World Cup and a constituent nation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Many Dutch supporters will be cheering along with them. All but two of Curaçao’s squad were born in the Netherlands; 12 of them play for clubs in the Eredivisie or the second-tier Keuken Kampioen Divisie.

The team are managed by the longtime Dutch coach Dick Advocaat. The Dutch king and queen are planning to attend at least one of the Blue Wave’s group matches.

Everything you need to know (and more) about every squad member. Click on the player pictures for more information

Click your way through the group stage and the knockouts to crown champion

Smallest nation to reach a World Cup will be guided by the oldest coach in Dick Advocaat

This article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.

In the early stages, Scotland looked to be opting for something different. That is, heading to a major tournament while completely unburdened by expectation. Little Curaçao were embarrassing Steve Clarke and his team. Scottish Football Association big wigs, who handed Clarke a four-year deal in recent days, were shuffling uncomfortably in the plush seats. Excitement was surely raising in Haiti, Scotland’s first World Cup opponents.

That Scotland played against 10 men for more than a half must be factored in to analysis of their recovery. Nonetheless, the response was stirring enough to raise optimism among a supporter base who will shortly grace a World Cup for the first time in 28 years. The Tartan Army remained in place to afford Scotland a rousing send-off for the US. Victory had ultimately proved as comfortable as should have been the case. However, the optimism was soured by the news later on Saturday night that Billy Gilmour had been ruled out of the finals by a knee injury.

• Manager recalls Rangers tenure fondly before friendly

• Steve Clarke: Scotland should be qualifing regularly

A smile flashed across the face of Dick Advocaat as he was reminded that, 27 years earlier to the day, he had watched his Rangers team complete a domestic treble at Hampden Park. “I was quite successful in this stadium, so you have to be careful tomorrow,” Advocaat said. Little could anyone have known in 1999 that in 2026 Advocaat would be bringing his World Cup-bound Curaçao to Glasgow for a friendly.

During 11 minutes on Friday, Advocaat completed a verbal whistle-stop tour of everything from Martin O’Neill’s return to Celtic to his World Cup ambitions. At 78, it is remarkable to see Advocaat in this scenario. Reflections on the past in this city were inevitable. He will become the oldest coach in World Cup history when Curaçao face Germany on 14 June.

• Dutchman resigned in February due to daughter’s health

• Compatriot Rutten stood down from role on Monday

Dick Advocaat will lead Curaçao to their first World Cup and become the oldest manager in the tournament’s history after returning to the job. The 78-year-old was in charge when the Caribbean island reached the finals but resigned three months later because of his daughter’s health.

“Advocaat is returning,” the president of the Curaçao Football Federation (FFK), Gilbert Martina, said in a phone message.

Dutchman who succeeded Dick Advocaat was once offered assistant’s role to Ten Hag at Manchester United

Soon after the news broke last month that Fred Rutten would lead Curaçao at the World Cup, he received a text from one of the players. “Hey boss, welcome to the family,” read the message from the goalkeeper Eloy Room. It was a warm greeting for the coach called in to replace Dick Advocaat, who had led the small island to that historic qualification but stepped down to be with his ill daughter.

Rutten’s appointment may have been a surprise to the outside world – he has not held a coaching role for almost three years and has never led a national team – but his appointment did not come out of the blue.

The tiny Caribbean island nation has a familiar face in their ranks whose time with Australia in 2018 is proving crucial ahead of the tournament

Curaçao have been in dreamland since qualifying for a first World Cup last November but geopolitical reality kicked in as the team headed to Australia for games against China and the Socceroos. Due to war in the Middle East, Curaçao’s long-haul flight that should have been Amsterdam to Sydney via Dubai became instead Frankfurt to Singapore with lots of logistical stress and separate journeys.

The two island nations – though Australia is about 17,000 times bigger than the Caribbean country – meet in Melbourne on Tuesday. Curaçao has a population of 155,000 making it the smallest nation to make it to the global stage. Despite the differences, the two teams have more than just 2026 World Cup preparation in common.

• Dutchman steps down for personal reasons

• Caribbean island only has population of 150,000

Dick Advocaat led Curaçao to their first World Cup but will not be charge of the team at the tournament itself after resigning from the head coach’s post for personal reasons.

“Dick Advocaat has stepped down with immediate effect as head coach of the national football team of Curaçao,” the country’s football federation confirmed on social media, the statement going onto say that the 78-year-old will “devote his full attention to his daughter, who is facing health issues”.