Curaçao starts the World Cup as a blatant outsider. But some of the professionals from the Caribbean country are no strangers to Germany either – and the coach also knows the Bundesliga.
A country as small as Curaçao has never taken part in a World Cup. What sounds far away from Germany in terms of football is actually closer than you might think. As part of the Netherlands Antilles, many Curaçao national players were born in our neighboring country and have already left their mark here.
Chong sets a highlight in the World Cup preparation
Tahith Chong has long been considered a great talent. He was under contract with Manchester United for four years, but the tricky and lightning-fast winger never really made his breakthrough. A loan spell took him to Werder Bremen in 2020. Even on the Weser, Chong didn’t really become a sporting factor. He now plays for Sheffield United in the English second division, making 21 appearances and only one assist last season.
He proved that the now 26-year-old is still a good footballer in the World Cup test against Scotland at the end of May. In the 17th minute, the right winger skillfully secured the ball in the center, sprinted over the Bravehearts defense, made central defender John Souttar look old and then scored ice-coldly to give the team a 1-0 lead.
Experienced in the Bundesliga Locadia flies against Scotland
The fact that Curaçao ultimately left the field with a 1:4 defeat also had to do with Chong’s teammate Jürgen Locadia. After the video referee intervened, the attacker was sent to the shower with a red card for a serious foul. Being outnumbered, the outsider then had little to order.
Locadia played in the Bundesliga for TSG Hoffenheim and VfL Bochum. He played on loan for the Kraichgauer team in the 2019/2020 season and also scored four goals in eleven games. Nevertheless, the loan deal was ended again in January.
Two years later, Locadia signed for VfL Bochum and scored two goals in eleven games. Once again it was over after six months, followed by stops in Iran, China and Spain. The World Cup will be a home game for the 32-year-old; he is now under contract with Miami FC.
Jürgen Locadia sees a red card against Scotland
Gervane Kastaneer without glasses, but with a clear view of the Betzenberg
Gervane Kastaneer was Curaçao’s top scorer in qualifying. The attacker scored five goals in six games. The 30-year-old had less luck at 1. FC Kaiserslautern, for whom he played in the 2017/2018 season; FCK was relegated from the 2nd Bundesliga.
Kastaneer didn’t manage to score a real goal for the Red Devils, but at least the now 30-year-old set a curious highlight. Because of a torn retina, the attacker had to play with protective glasses. When the strap on his glasses broke in the game against Eintracht Braunschweig, he quickly fired the glasses over the sideline and shortly afterwards, with full vision, shot the ball so dangerously into the far corner that Braunschweig’s Ken Reichel deflected the ball into his own goal to make the final score 1-1.
Brenet was unable to assert himself in Hoffenheim
Joshua Brenet won three Dutch championships with PSV Eindhoven before joining TSG Hoffenheim in 2018. However, he was unable to build on the successes either with his team or personally. The right-back only played 15 games in the four years he was under contract with TSG.
Riechedly Bazoer moved to VfL Wolfsburg at the beginning of 2017 and was initially part of the Bundesliga club’s permanent staff. After relegation, the defensive man lost his regular place. After loans to FC Porto and FC Utrecht, he ultimately returned to the Netherlands to Vitesse Arnheim in 2019.
Van Eijma’s strange end at Preußen Münster
Jordi Paulina is the only professional from Curaçao who is currently playing in Germany. In January 2026, the center forward moved from Borussia Dortmund II to Fortuna Düsseldorf. He didn’t manage to score a goal for the relegated team, but his quota in the national team is strong. Two goals in two games, both scored as a substitute in the 7-0 World Cup qualifying win against Bermuda.
Central defender Roshon van Eijma played for the then regional league team Preußen Münster from 2020 to 2021. Of all things, his time in Münsterland ended prematurely. “As nice as it is to have a national player in your own ranks, the difficulties associated with it are just as great. Unfortunately, for a regional league team that did not include any international breaks in its game plan, the many releases were no longer feasible in the end.”said Prussia sports director Peter Niemeyer contritely. Van Eijma now plays for RKC Waalwijk in the Eredivisie, so the schedule is no longer a problem.
Dick Advocaat, Curacao national coach
Advocaat with third World Cup participation
The coach of the World Cup newcomer also knows his way around Germany. Dick Advocaat joined Borussia Mönchengladbach in November 2004. However, the “little general” was not happy on the Lower Rhine. The foal and the Dutchman parted ways in April of the following year.
This is Advocaat’s third World Cup as a coach. In 1994 he led the Netherlands into the tournament, ending in the quarterfinals against eventual world champions Brazil. Twelve years later he was in charge of South Korea, but he didn’t experience a summer fairytale with the Asians: the team was eliminated in the preliminary round.
Advocaat is not bothered by the fact that he may be facing the same fate with Curaçao. Of the World Cup participants, only Haiti and New Zealand are still behind the Caribbean country in the FIFA world rankings. The 78-year-old still sees no reason to give up early. “We want to make it as difficult as possible for every opponent. And we certainly don’t stand a chance.”said the veteran. “Everyone can surprise. Why not Curaçao?” After all, some of his players are familiar with German football.