He will become the oldest manager in World Cup history

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Foot Africa

·19. November 2025

He will become the oldest manager in World Cup history

He will become the oldest coach in World Cup history

Dick Advocaat, the head coach of Curaçao, is set to make history by becoming the oldest manager ever to appear at a World Cup. He will be nearly 79 years old during the 2026 tournament in North America.

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Well-known in the Netherlands, Advocaat has already led the Dutch national team on three separate occasions and has worked with several other national squads: Russia, Belgium, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Iraq. He also boasts a collection of club titles with PSV Eindhoven, Glasgow Rangers, and Zenit Saint Petersburg.

🇨🇼 A nil-nil draw away in Jamaica ensured that Curaçao have qualified for the 2026 World Cup. The smallest nation to ever do it and with manager Dick Advocaat having had to fly home for family reasons. Smaller than Cape Verde. Smaller than Iceland. A huge achievement. https://t.co/1ma3GNucFw
– Mittwoch, 19. November 2025

He pulled off a remarkable feat by qualifying Curaçao for the World Cup for the very first time, despite missing the decisive match against Jamaica. It’s a historic achievement for him and for the small Caribbean nation.

🇨🇼🏆 With a population of 155,000, Curaçao will be the SMALLEST nation to ever play at the FIFA World Cup! Congratulations to Dick Advocaat and his team. 👏
– Mittwoch, 19. November 2025