Country of Just 1.5 Lakh Population Creates History, Qualifies for FIFA World Cup

Kingston (The Uttam Hindu): The Caribbean island nation of Curaçao has created history in world football. Curaçao has become the smallest-population country ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. In the match played in Kingston, Curaçao held Jamaica to a 0–0 draw. With this result, the island nation with a population of around 150,000 erupted in celebration.

In front of a packed home crowd, the Reggae Boyz dominated possession and created multiple chances in the second half, but Curaçao’s defensive discipline remained firm. Every tackle, block, and clearance was crucial especially as the game neared full time. The 90-minute match remained intense, with both teams eager to score, but neither was able to break the deadlock.

At the final whistle, Curaçao’s players celebrated wildly. They had achieved something few ever imagined. With the goalless draw, Curaçao secured the top spot in Group B with 12 points, one point ahead of Jamaica. Trinidad and Tobago stand third with 9 points, while Bermuda are yet to open their account.

The FIFA World Cup will be played next year between June and July, featuring 48 teams. With this qualification, Curaçao has broken Iceland’s record. Iceland had made history in 2018 with a population of 3.5 lakh, while Curaçao has surpassed that milestone with less than half that population. All eyes will now be on Curaçao in the upcoming World Cup. The team achieved this feat in the absence of head coach Dick Advocaat, who returned to the Netherlands due to family reasons.