Guinness World Records recognises Curacao's historic FIFA World Cup appearance
London, June 17
Guinness World Records has officially recognised Curacao as the smallest country by population to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, marking a historic milestone for the island nation.
The recognition highlights Curacao's remarkable football achievement, as the island nation with a population of just 1,56,115 has secured its place on the world's biggest football stage.
"We were delighted to present Gilbert Martina, the President of the Curacao Football Federation, the certificate for the smallest country by population to qualify for the FIFA World Cup - 156,115 people," Guinness World Records wrote in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Curacao manager Dick Advocaat encouraged his side, saying that "they need to turn this into a beautiful tournament", adding that they could surprise in their next two group stage matches after they lost their FIFA World Cup opener against Germany.
Curacao managed to send the German camp into distress for a brief period with a 21st-minute equaliser by Livano Comenencia, but the four-time champions came back in the second half, curb-stomping Curacao in a 7-1 victory with standout contributions from Kai Havertz and Deniz Undav. Despite the defeat, Advocaat has encouraged his players to "not be downcast", noting that the loss is "not a disgrace".
Following the match, Advocaat was quoted as saying by Reuters, "We need to turn this into a beautiful tournament. We can have a surprise in the second and third matches. In the end, we will be glad we were part of the biggest football tournament in the world."
"We had expected to do more against Germany, but we could not. They were very, very strong, and we conceded some easy goals," he said."Players know if they lose, they should not be downcast. This is not a disgrace," he added.
The manager was also appreciative of the support from the fans who travelled to the US, even when Germany kept on piling on goals. He also spoke on stepping back in the team dugout during the playing of the national anthem, saying that the moment was too emotional for him.
"This is related to the joy of the people in Curacao. This is when the emotions come to the surface. The joy of the people is fantastic," he signed off.
Curacao made history by scoring a goal on their World Cup debut against four-time champions Germany.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Lost 7-1 but they scored a goal against Germany! That's something even big teams struggle with. Their manager's attitude is spot on - not being downcast and focusing on the next matches. We need this kind of positive mindset in our own football development. 🎉
Really puts things in perspective. Curacao has fewer people than many Indian cities, yet they're at the World Cup. Imagine if we invested even a fraction of our cricket budget into football - could we see India there someday? Their story gives hope to smaller nations everywhere.
Admire the grit of this team. Losing 7-1 to Germany is no shame - even Brazil lost 7-1 once! Their manager Dick Advocaat seems like a class act, appreciating the fans and being emotional during the anthem. Hats off to Curacao for making history. Hope they surprise in next matches!
Such a feel-good story from the World Cup! They earned their spot fair and square against big teams in qualifiers. The Guinness record is a nice touch. Meanwhile, we're still waiting for India to even qualify once. This should motivate our football authorities to think differently.
Incredible achievement for such a small country. The fact that they scored against Germany and had fans cheering despite the heavy loss shows the spirit of football. I wonder if Curacao's success could be a blueprint for other small nations, including some in Asia.
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