Curaçao faces Germany in World Cup opener under Dick Advocaat

A Caribbean island with fewer than 200,000 people will line up against four-time World Cup champions Germany on June 14 in Houston. Curaçao’s debut on the biggest stage in football arrives under the guidance of Dick Advocaat, a 78-year-old Dutch coaching veteran who has made a career out of announcing his retirement and then immediately un-retiring.

Advocaat took the job in January 2024 on a one-year contract. The fact that he’s still here, preparing for a World Cup opener against Germany, tells you everything about how the man operates.

The road to Houston

Curaçao’s path to the 2026 World Cup was, by any measure, improbable. The team secured qualification on November 18, 2025, with a 0-0 draw away to Jamaica, locking down the top spot in their qualifying group.

Advocaat’s appointment was the catalyst. The Dutchman arrived with decades of top-level experience, having managed the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, Russia, and Serbia at various points in his career, along with club stints at Rangers, PSV Eindhoven, and Feyenoord.

The coach who won’t stay retired

In February 2026, Advocaat stepped down from his role due to concerns about his daughter’s health. Then, on May 11, 2026, he returned, just in time to prepare his squad for the tournament opener.

When he walks out in Houston on June 14, Advocaat will become the oldest coach in World Cup history. His approach to the Germany match has been characteristically blunt. Advocaat has emphasized a game plan built around disruption, noting that his team has “nothing to lose” and is looking to “steal some points.”

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