The tiny Caribbean island on verge of World Cup history

Players from the tiny but beautiful Caribbean island of Curacao are 90 minutes away from creating World Cup history.

If they avoid defeat away at Jamaica on Tuesday night (Wednesday 01:00 GMT), Curacao - guided by former Netherlands and Rangers boss Dick Advocaat - will qualify for the finals for the first time.

They would become the smallest nation ever to play at the World Cup. That record is held by Iceland, who reached the 2018 finals, but their country is far bigger than Curacao, which has a population of just over 150,000 (similar to Cambridge or Huddersfield) and a land area smaller than the Isle of Man.

"It's crazy and would be one of the biggest things that will happen to Curacao," said midfielder Juninho Bacuna, a former Huddersfield, Rangers and Birmingham player.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he added: "It's incredible and amazing. Even a few years ago you would not even think about it, but now we are this close.

"We're certain to just give our all to qualify for the World Cup. To be personally part of it and to make that dream come true would be incredible."

Curacao, 37 miles off the Venezuela coast, only became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010, following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

Ten years ago they were 150th in Fifa's world rankings. Now they are 82nd.

The expanded 2026 World Cup format, which features 48 nations instead of 32, along with the fact hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States all qualify automatically, has given Curacao a much-improved chance.

And in nine qualifying matches, they have won seven. A 2-0 home win over Jamaica in October, followed by a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago and a 7-0 away thrashing of Bermuda on Friday, has them top of their group with one match to go.

In the final game, they are away at Jamaica, who are one point behind Curacao and will qualify themselves with a victory.

The man who has taken Curacao to the brink of the World Cup is one of the most experienced managers in the game.

Since January 2024, Dutchman Advocaat, 78, has been in charge of his eighth national side after three spells with the Netherlands, as well as coaching the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Belgium, Russia, Serbia and Iraq.

He helped the Netherlands reach the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup and his South Korean team went out in the group phase in 2006.

His list of clubs managed includes PSV Eindhoven, Rangers, Zenit St Petersburg, Sunderland and Feyenoord.

Advocaat only became Curacao boss after a payment dispute between the players and the country's football association was resolved, and he immediately set his sights on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

If he manages Curacao at the finals, he will become the oldest manager at a men's World Cup, beating Otto Rehhagel's record when he was in charge of Greece aged 71 in 2010.

"Everyone knows Dick Advocaat is a big name, he is a big coach and everyone respects him in his decisions and the way he works," added Bacuna. "His presence is really important for us as a team and also for the country, and his impact has been really big.

"We started working with him in qualifying for the Nations League and we saw a growth in the team in the way we worked and the way we fought in games."

However, Advocaat is not expected to be on the touchline after he left the team's camp because of "private circumstances" on Saturday.

Curacao said the team would be led by assistant coaches Dean Gorre and Cor Pot in the absence of Advocaat, who will remain in communication with his assistants regarding the team's tactical preparation.

As well as having a Dutch manager, the majority of players in the Curacao squad were born in the Netherlands but had family links that enabled them to play for Advocaat's side.

Their squad includes Livingston defender Joshua Brenet, Rotherham midfielder Ar'jany Martha, Middlesbrough forward Sontje Hansen and Sheffield United midfielder Tahith Chong, who was born in Curacao and previously played in the Premier League with Manchester United.

For Bacuna, playing for Curacao was also a chance to play international football with his older brother Leandro, the national side's captain, and that was a key part of his motivation after he had represented the Netherlands at under-21 level.

"I started to play for Curacao in 2019 and it was a big decision for me," said Juninho Bacuna. "At that time I was only 21 and had a lot of years in front of me to see my chances for the Dutch national team.

"But I made a choice early to play for Curacao. One of the reasons was I can play in the same team as my brother and for the family to see us play together.

"The other reason was at the time my chances of playing for the Dutch national team, realistically, was not there. I saw a lot of players from my age already play for the Dutch national team but I didn't have a chance to be called up, so the choice was quick to make to play for Curacao."

But Bacuna felt the country's recent footballing progress would inspire more Dutch-born players to represent the team known as The Blue Family.

"We're seeing more players that are still young and able to play for Holland and they come to play for Curacao - and make the team even stronger," added Bacuna.

Although Curacao only need a draw, Jamaica, coached by former England manager Steve McClaren, will be favourites to get the home win they need to win the group and qualify for the World Cup for only the second time after appearing at France 1998.

"Football is perhaps the most popular sport in Jamaica but it's a very tough time for Jamaica right now as we're battling back against the devastation brought by Hurricane Melissa," said Jamaica news and sports journalist Karen Madden.

"What we've seen is a rallying force and we've had tremendous help from our international partners and scores of countries coming to our rescue as well as individuals that are rounding up Jamaicans and rounding up support.

"When we spoke to coach Steve McClaren, he said the players are under a bit of pressure to deliver. To qualify for the World Cup would be of remarkable significance and would really lift the spirits."

Whoever loses will still have a second chance to qualify for the World Cup, although they will have to go through the intercontinental play-offs in March, where only two of the six nations will be successful.

Madden felt the Jamaica players would be keen to get some revenge on Curacao after losing to them in October.

"I remember watching the game on television and the stadium was packed with blue-clad supporters," she added. "Jamaica and the Jamaican football fraternity was shocked and stunned at the 2-0 defeat.

"Now with the roles reversed and Curacao are coming to Jamaica at the national stadium, the feeling is that it is Jamaica's to lose and nobody sees that happening."