Curaçao becomes smallest nation to qualify for World Cup

Curaçao secured a 0-0 draw against Jamaica on Tuesday, making it the smallest nation by population to qualify for a World Cup. They will be joined by CONCACAF teams Panama and Haiti, which also secured spots.

Curaçao remained undefeated in the tournament and finished top of Group B with 12 points, qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in its history.

The team achieved this historic result despite the absence of their coach, Dick Advocaat, on the sidelines. The 78-year-old Advocaat had to return to the Netherlands last weekend for family reasons.

Advocaat previously managed the Netherlands national team in three separate stints, as well as South Korea, Belgium, and Russia, before taking the job with Curacao.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics in Curaçao, the country's population was 156,115 as of last January. Iceland, with a population of just over 350,000, was the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup when it reached the 2018 tournament in Russia.