Exclusive | ‘We aren't going there for holiday’ - Tahith Chong's Curacao aim to make a statement at FIFA World Cup 2026

When Tahith Chong and Co. enter the Houston Stadium in Texas on Sunday to face former champions Germany at the FIFA World Cup 2026, Curacao, with a population of approximately 1.55 lakh, will make its presence felt on the global map. More than just an achievement in its sporting culture, Curacao's maiden World Cup qualification is a historic moment to savour for the people of the tiny island, located 40 miles north of Venezuela.

Curacao's journey to the 2026 World Cup started in the second round of CONCACAF qualifying in 2024, with wins over Barbados and Aruba. 12 months later, they stormed into the third round with dominating wins over Haiti and Saint Lucia. What followed were two draws against Trinidad and Tobago, a win over Jamaica, and a 10-2 aggregate over Bermuda over two legs put Curacao on the brink of historic qualification.

Curacao punched above Jamaica with a goalless draw in their final game in the qualifiers to become the smallest nation ever to book a FIFA World Cup spot unbeaten. Popularly known as “The Blue Waves” because of the mesmerisingly beautiful oceans that the country has, Curacao are ranked 83rd out of 211 FIFA-registered nations - second-lowest at FIFA World Cup 2026 behind 85th-placed New Zealand.

“It's wonderful for the island,” Chong told LiveMint in an exclusive interaction, recalling how big the achievement is for the whole country. “It's wonderful for the country and wonderful for everyone involved,” added the attacking midfielder, a former Manchester United academy graduate.

Walking into Curacao's history

Curacao, as a country, was a part of the erstwhile Netherlands Antilles till 2010. After the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved, it became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Although Curacao is 8000 miles away from the Netherlands, it is culturally more European because of its Dutch influence for centuries.

Besides English and Dutch, the language Papiamento (now banned as per a PTI report) is still fairly popular among the people. The country is also known for its orange liqueur, often dyed a vibrant blue. The Dutch influence did play a huge part in creating a footballing culture in the country, sending the kids to the Netherlands for greener pastures.

Most of the players in the Curacao squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 play in the Dutch Premier Division, better known as Eredivisie. In fact, Chong himself played for the Netherlands national team in all age-group tournaments before making his debut for Curacao in 2025. Born in Curacao, Chong moved to Holland when he was eight, spending his formative years at the Feynoord Academy.

Emotional moment for Tahith Chong

Stepping onto the field at the Houston Stadium against Germany will be emotional for Chong, for he won't have his grandmother cheer for him in person. Sadly, she passed away after turning 95 in October last year.

“She saw me playing in September (2025) when I was in Curacao. Although I was injured, I went for her birthday. I think obviously she is looking down, very much proud. I think both my grandmothers - one from my father's side and one from my mother's side - had a huge impact on me,” he said.

“Obviously, my mum and dad played a big role in what I am today. Without them, I couldn't be where I am now,” added Chong, whose father played football in Curacao.

No favourites at World Cup stage

At the FIFA World Cup, it will be a completely different ball game for Curacao when they take on Germany, the Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E. For Chong and Curacao, every team are equal when it comes to football's “greatest show on earth” and isn't on a vacation in the United States.

“Once you step on that pitch, I think all of us are equal. We are obviously going to do our best and try to resort to all three of our games. We have said it many times that we aren't going there for a holiday,” said Chong, who currently plays for EFL Championship club Sheffield United.

“I think for us its important to plan for game by game. We are not looking too far ahead, we are not looking to be the dark horse,” added the 26-year-old, who calls the national team a family. "We are very much a family group, as everyone is kind of helping everyone. That's very important.

“I just try to help the group wherever they need me,” he added when asked about his role in the side. “Obviously, we have some younger boys in the group, speak to them as well and just give them the confidence to go there and perform,” he added. Captain Leandro Bacuna, Juninho Bacuna and goalkeeper Eloy Room are some of the experienced players in the side.

However, things have not gone as planned in 2026 for Curacao. They lost to China and Australia in FIFA friendlies before succumbing to Scotland in the pre-World Cup warm-up fixture. A dominating win over Aruba will give some confidence to Curacao going into the World Cup.

Despite the losses, Chong wants to take out the positives from those matches. “I don't think so (it affects the momentum of the side). In sport, you learn much more when you lose. We are still very confident; we are very much a family group. I don't think we are very worried. We learn from our mistakes and take it forward from there,” he added.

Dick Advocaat's influence

Although Curacao is heavily influenced by the Dutch style of football, none of the coaches from the region - Patrick Kluivert and Guus Hiddink - were able to produce results. Dutch and Barcelona great Patrick Kluivert did a commendable job during the initial years. On the other hand, Hiddink's ideas actually didn't work at Curacao.

That's when Dick Advocaat entered the fray in 2024. Having coached the Netherlands (1994) and South Korea (2006) at two World Cups, Advocaat brought in a home-like feeling within the squad along with the tactical changes, which helped Curacao script history. In fact, even after Advocaat left the Curacao job to be by his ailing daughter, he was called back after Fred Rutten failed to gain the trust of the players.

According to Chong, Advocaat is every player's go-to man. “He has been with the Curacao team for about two and a half years. So I think everyone is kind of used to him and how he works. He is very much an experienced and good coach to work with, and well known for how to win games. In terms of a human being, he is a very good person and tries to speak with everyone. Everyone really enjoys working with him,” said Chong.

Besides football, Curacao is best known for its influence in baseball, with a major chunk of players plying their trade in Major League Baseball (MLB) in America. In fact, MLB legend Andruw Jones was inducted into the Hall of Fame earlier in 2026. With Curacao's World Cup qualification, Chong wants to leave a legacy for the next generation with a strong show in the United States.

“We have to utilise this chance (perform at World Cup) in a good way. Obviously, we now have the next generation looking at it as a big moment for Curacao, as maybe in eight or 12 years, or whenever that moment is, when we fight again for the World Cup, the next generation will look at the 2026 World Cup qualification as a big motivation,” he concluded.