Curaçao Is the Smallest Country Ever to Reach the World Cup
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- Curaçao will make its World Cup debut this summer, becoming the smallest nation ever to compete with a population of 158,000, surpassing Iceland's 350,000 residents in 2018.
- The island's soccer federation shifted focus from local amateur players to professionals of Curaçaoan descent, many of whom were born and raised in the Netherlands, contributing to their qualification.
- Curaçao's unique political status as an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands means its players often hold Dutch passports and have strong ties to the Netherlands.
- The team's participation symbolizes hope for small nations, demonstrating that size does not limit the possibility of competing on the world stage.