"Different from when I coached Korea, we have nothing to lose." 79-year-old Dick Advocaat, with a 'mad' smile against the '40 years younger' German coach... Curacao aims for an upset.

*This content was translated by AI.

Curacao, a small island nation with a population of 150,000, is plotting a massive rebellion against the "German Tank Army," Germany.

Curacao will face Germany, a four-time World Cup champion, in the first match of Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, to be held on the 15th (Korea time) at the Houston Stadium in Texas, USA. The matchup between Curacao, the nation with the smallest population ever to qualify for the World Cup finals and making its debut, and the world's strongest team, Germany, is a "David versus Goliath" battle.

The 40-year age gap between the two head coaches is also an interesting viewing point. Dick Advocaat (79), born in 1947, the Curacao coach, and Julian Nagelsmann (39), born in 1987, the German coach, represent the largest age difference in World Cup history. Through this match, Coach Advocaat will surpass Otto Rehhagel, who led the Greek national team at the 2010 South Africa tournament, to set a new record as the oldest World Cup head coach ever.

At a pre-match press conference held on the 14th, the two coaches engaged in a lighthearted verbal spar. Coach Nagelsmann praised Advocaat, saying, "I don't want to hold the baton until Advocaat's age, but I respect his achievement in leading Curacao to the finals." In response, Coach Advocaat retorted, "I understand the desire to earn a lot of money and retire early. But I continue because I love this job, not for the money."

Despite a clear disadvantage in strength, Curacao's atmosphere is bright. Coach Advocaat stated, "Unlike my past stints with the Netherlands or South Korea national teams, we have nothing to lose now," and confidently added, "We have an excellent plan to legally steal points." He also praised the team's cohesion, saying, "I have never seen such unity in my entire life."

The Curacao squad is also enjoying their historic debut as a festival. A video of players dancing and singing without shirts on a moving bus has become a hot topic on social media (SNS). Captain Leandro Bacuna, born in the Netherlands, expressed pride in his parents' Jo Guk-eul (CEO), saying, "We are a nation that loves parties and fun."

All eyes are on whether Curacao, united by its unique romance and solidarity, can pull off an upset against the giant Germany.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.