Curaçao made history by qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the smallest nation ever to reach the tournament. With just over 150,000 people, this Caribbean island has produced a talented group of players who helped the team go undefeated in qualifying.
The tiny Caribbean island, an autonomous territory of the Netherlands with a population of around 156,000 people, is the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, breaking the record previously held by Iceland.
They went unbeaten through their entire CONCACAF qualifying campaign, winning seven and drawing three of their ten matches, and topped their final qualifying group ahead of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bermuda.
It is a staggering achievement for a country that did not even exist as a separate entity until 2010 when it gained autonomy from the Netherlands Antilles.
Led by veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, who managed the Netherlands at the 1994 World Cup and South Korea at the 2006 tournament, Curaçao enter Group E against Germany, Ecuador, and Côte d’Ivoire as underdogs in every sense. But they are here, and they have earned every second of it.
Here are the 10 best soccer players from Curaçao at the 2026 World Cup.
1. Leandro Bacuna — Midfielder (Captain)
Position: Midfielder
Age: 34 | Club: Iğdır (Turkey)
Leandro Bacuna is Curaçao’s captain, their most-capped outfield player with 72 appearances, and their all-time joint leading goalscorer with 16 international goals. He is the heartbeat of this squad and the experienced leader that a team making their World Cup debut desperately needs.
After a long career in English football at Aston Villa, Reading, Cardiff City, and Watford, he moved through the Eredivisie and eventually to Turkish football. His Premier League and Championship experience gives him a level of big-match understanding that no other player in this squad can match.
He is one of the best central midfielders Curaçao have ever produced and the captain who will guide this historic team through the toughest group of their lives.
2. Juninho Bacuna — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder
Age: 28 | Club: Volendam (Netherlands)
Juninho Bacuna is the younger of the two Bacuna brothers in this squad and one of the most important contributors to Curaçao’s qualification success. With 49 caps and 15 international goals, his goal return from midfield is outstanding and reflects a player who contributes at both ends consistently.
He played for Huddersfield Town, Rangers, and Birmingham City in England before returning to the Netherlands. His energy, directness, and eye for goal make him one of Curaçao’s most dangerous players going forward. Alongside his captain brother, the two Bacunas form the most experienced midfield combination in this squad.
3. Eloy Room — Goalkeeper
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 37 | Club: Miami FC (USA)
Eloy Room is Curaçao’s joint record appearance holder with 71 caps and the most experienced player in the squad. A former PSV Eindhoven goalkeeper who spent five seasons with Columbus Crew in MLS, he brings Eredivisie and MLS experience to the number one shirt at an age where his organisational ability and reading of the game more than compensate for any reduction in physical sharpness.
Against Germany, Ecuador, and Côte d’Ivoire, Room will face some of the best attackers at this tournament. His ability to organise the defence under sustained pressure will be one of the most important factors in how far Curaçao can push their opponents. He is one of the most experienced goalkeepers at this World Cup by caps.
4. Tahith Chong — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder/Winger
Age: 26 | Club: Sheffield United (England)
Tahith Chong is the most high-profile player in this squad and one of the few born on the island of Curaçao itself. He is a former Manchester United academy product who represented the Netherlands at every youth level up to Under-21 before committing to Curaçao, and his decision to join the Blue Wave was a significant moment for the national team.
He plays in the EFL Championship with Sheffield United and is one of the most technically gifted players in this squad. He scored for Curaçao against Scotland in a May friendly and brings a level of quality that opponents in Group E will not take lightly. He is one of the most talented players Curaçao have ever had.
5. Gervane Kastaneer — Forward
Position: Forward/Winger
Age: 30 | Club: Terengganu (Malaysia)
Gervane Kastaneer is Curaçao’s most prolific active forward alongside the Bacunas. With 29 caps and 9 international goals, he was one of the most involved attackers during the qualifying campaign and consistently created and converted chances across both qualifying rounds.
After spells in the Netherlands and Belgium, he now plays in the Malaysian Super League with Terengganu. His direct wide play and goal threat from the flanks give Advocaat a reliable attacking option across all three group games.
6. Sontje Hansen — Forward
Position: Forward
Age: 24 | Club: Middlesbrough (England)
Sontje Hansen is one of the most exciting young forwards in this squad. He plays in the EFL Championship with Middlesbrough and brings a level of English second-tier experience that makes him one of Curaçao’s sharper attacking options.
With 6 caps and 1 international goal, he is still building his international career but his club form at Middlesbrough has been consistent. He gives Advocaat a mobile, direct forward option who can stretch defences and create in transition. He is one of the best young players in this historic Curaçao squad.
7. Armando Obispo — Defender
Position: Centre-Back/Defender
Age: 27 | Club: PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Armando Obispo is the highest-profile club player in the Curaçao squad. He plays for PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie, one of the best leagues in the Netherlands, and his development through the Dutch football system gives him the technical and tactical foundation to compete at international level.
With 6 caps, he is still relatively new to international football but his club pedigree is the best of any defender in this squad. He gives Curaçao a genuine Eredivisie-level centre-back at the heart of their defence and a ball-playing defender capable of bringing the ball out calmly.
8. Riechedly Bazoer — Defender
Position: Midfielder/Defender
Age: 29 | Club: Konyaspor (Turkey)
Riechedly Bazoer is one of the most experienced squad members in terms of club career pedigree. He developed through the Ajax academy, played for Ajax’s first team in the Eredivisie and Champions League, had spells at Wolfsburg and Porto, and built his career across several top European clubs before ending up in Turkey.
He even played a World Cup qualifying match for the Netherlands in 2016 before switching his allegiance to Curaçao. With 5 caps, his international record is modest but his club experience is the most impressive in the defensive group.
9. Livano Comenencia — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder
Age: 22 | Club: FC Zürich (Switzerland)
Livano Comenencia is one of the most promising young midfielders in this squad. He plays for FC Zürich in Switzerland and is a former Juventus youth academy product, which tells you about the level of technical football he has been exposed to in his development.
With 20 caps and 2 international goals at just 22, he is one of Advocaat’s younger options in central midfield and a player who is developing rapidly at club level. He gives Curaçao a mobile, technically confident option in the middle and one of the best young central midfielders in CONCACAF.
10. Kenji Gorré — Forward
Position: Forward/Winger
Age: 31 | Club: Maccabi Haifa (Israel)
Kenji Gorré is one of Curaçao’s most experienced attackers with 38 caps and 6 international goals. A former Swansea City player who has spent his career across the Netherlands, England, and now Israel with Maccabi Haifa, he brings versatility and wide-play quality to Advocaat’s forward options.
He can operate on either flank and contributes with both goals and assists. His experience across multiple leagues and countries makes him a reliable option when Advocaat needs a wide attacker who understands how to work within a disciplined defensive structure.
Conclusion
Curaçao’s presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is one of the greatest stories in the history of the tournament. A population of 156,000. An unbeaten qualifying campaign. A first-ever World Cup. The Blue Wave have made history and their nation is watching with enormous pride.
Germany, Ecuador, and Côte d’Ivoire are all stronger on paper. But Curaçao were unbeaten through qualifying, and under Dick Advocaat, they will be organised, difficult to beat, and ready to make the world take notice.
Other players worth watching include Jürgen Locadia, Jearl Margaritha, Jeremy Antonisse, and Ar’jany Martha.
Who do you think will be Curaçao’s standout player at the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments!
