NOORDWIJK (DA) — Dick Advocaat has set Curaçao a clear objective for its first World Cup appearance: reach the next round while making life as difficult as possible for every opponent.
“We want to make it as difficult as possible for everyone,” Advocaat said Thursday during a press conference at Huis Ter Duin in Noordwijk, where Curaçao held its training camp.
Asked about the team’s realistic goal at the tournament, Advocaat said: “To reach the next round.”
Curaçao will face Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast in Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Advocaat acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing his side, describing Curaçao as a major underdog compared with its group opponents while pointing to the possibility of an upset.
“We have certain qualities, but if you compare our players with the other three teams, we are an amateur club,” Advocaat said. “But amateur clubs can also beat Ajax.”
The coach said he was satisfied with Curaçao’s preparations in Noordwijk, but acknowledged that several players had felt the physical demands of twice-daily training after receiving limited activity or playing time with their clubs lately.
“You notice that quite a number of them are a little tired from training twice a day because they have not played much for some time, even though we gave them a program,” Advocaat said. “We have to look carefully with the medical staff at what we can do. I think that is very important, and also to listen well to the players and how they feel.”
Advocaat said Curaçao’s immediate focus is getting the squad physically ready and ensuring the players understand what is expected of them on the field.
“The most important point is that they become fit and that they know what we want,” he said.
The Curaçao Football Federation (FFK) said the team held an open training session Thursday at the SJC complex in Noordwijk before preparing for its trip to Glasgow, Scotland.
Curaçao will face Scotland in a friendly Saturday at Hampden Park at 1 p.m. local time, giving Advocaat another opportunity to assess his squad before the World Cup.
For Advocaat, the tournament may also mark the conclusion of a long coaching career. Asked whether Curaçao could be his final job, he said: “I think so.”