Hato International Airport turned into one giant street party Wednesday as the Curaçao national football team stepped off the plane – freshly qualified for the World Cup and crowned the smallest nation ever to make it.
Population 156,000 – Record Officially Broken
With just 156,000 residents, Curaçao has snatched the title from Iceland (350,000 in 2018) as the least populous country to reach football’s biggest stage.
One Point in Jamaica Changed Everything
A hard-fought 0-0 draw away to Jamaica was all it took. That single point put Curaçao top of their group and sent the entire island into delirium.
The Secret Weapon: Dutch Passports, Caribbean Hearts
Curaçao used every rule in the book. Thanks to ties with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the federation convinced several Dutch-born players to switch allegiance. Five new stars joined since August, instantly turning a minnow into a contender.
Veteran coach Dick Advocaat – who has taken the Netherlands and South Korea to past World Cups – now gets a third bite at the tournament with the Caribbean underdog.
Airport Chaos, National Holiday Vibes
Thousands stormed the terminal waving flags, blasting music and dancing in the arrivals hall. Tonight the party moves to Willemstad for an open-top bus parade and a massive rally under the same giant screens that showed the Jamaica match 24 hours earlier.
For an island of 156,000 souls, the next year just got very, very loud.
