By Lori Ewing
KANSAS CITY, Missouri June 19 (Reuters) - When Curacao's players stood shoulder to shoulder before their World Cup debut against Germany, singing an anthem most of them had had to learn from scratch, coach Dick Advocaat wiped away tears.
The Dutch coach was emotional again when Livano Comenencia scored the tiny Caribbean nation's first-ever World Cup goal in a 7-1 thrashing by Germany.
The scoreline that night, Advocaat said, told only one story. The journey that brought Curacao to football's
grandest stage told another.
As Curacao -- the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup with a population of about 156,000 -- prepared to face Ecuador on Saturday in Kansas City, there was no sense of despair within a squad that has already rewritten the island's sporting history.
"Obviously 7-1 is a major result, but we were playing a major team as well," Advocaat said on Friday. "It was also the first time we experienced this. A stadium this size, (Curacao players) usually only drive by, never play football there.
"This is a great opportunity. That's how we should see this for the island, for the team. It's unfathomed that we're actually playing in this huge tournament. These (fans) will never forget that in their lives.
"So, let's be proud we made it."
When Advocaat was hired in January 2024, the set-up barely resembled that of an international team.
"The players had to pay for their own airplanes, we didn't have the facilities that are normally available to a national team," he said. "But many things have changed in favour of the island, in favour of the team."
Because Advocaat's squad is largely made up of Dutch-born players with family ties to the island, one of the first tasks in creating a national-team culture was ensuring every player could sing "Himno di Korsou."
"Everybody had to learn the anthem by heart, and everybody did so," Advocaat said. "It was very important. They spent quite a lot of time doing that."
The impact was clear before kickoff against Germany as Advocaat, the oldest World Cup coach in history at 78, dabbed at tears.
"At my age, with my personality, the emotion easily comes to the surface. Seeing how far we've come, that's something wonderful to experience," he said.
He was similarly emotional when Comenencia scored Curacao's historic first World Cup goal.
"I certainly watch my goal every single day," the 22-year-old right back said with a smile. "But I can't sit on it. I have to keep performing, and I really want to show something beautiful during the next match."
Asked if Curacao's World Cup participation was bigger than football, Advocaat said "absolutely."
"Everybody in Germany watched the (opening) match, and they've heard the word Curacao 100 times," he said. "Now they know where it is, they know what a beautiful island it is.
"I think we will benefit from this. It's only positive."
The coach is realistic enough, however, to know the fairytale may not extend to the knockout rounds. He joked when asked what it might take for a victory over Ecuador, who arrive desperate for points after their 1-0 loss to the Ivory Coast.
"When (Ecuador) get four players out," he said.
What is beyond dispute is how far Curacao have travelled. To stand beneath the World Cup lights, singing an anthem they learned together, they have already produced one of the tournament's most improbable stories.
And for Advocaat, that achievement alone is worth celebrating.
(Reporting by Lori EwingEditing by Toby Davis)
