Corinthians fan makes World Cup history leading debutants' medical team | OneFootball

Corinthians has a representative off the pitch at the 2026 World Cup. An outspoken fan of the black-and-white club, Brazilian doctor Suzanne Huurman made competition history by becoming the only woman in charge of the medical department of a national team taking part in the tournament.

The professional is part of Curaçao’s coaching staff, with the team playing in a World Cup for the first time in its history. Born in São Paulo and the daughter of Dutch parents, Suzanne built her professional career in European football, gaining experience at major clubs such as Real Madrid and PSV, as well as working with youth national teams and the Dutch Olympic team.

Photo: Reproduction / Instagram

The doctor’s presence at the World Cup also represents a milestone for women’s participation in leadership positions within men’s football. In an interview with ge.globo, Suzanne spoke about the responsibility of holding an unprecedented role in the competition and recalled the challenges she faced throughout her career.

“It is a great honor, but also a great responsibility, to be the only woman. When I started my career in sports medicine and professional football, there were very few women, especially in high-performance men’s football,” she said.

Throughout her journey in sports, Suzanne had to deal with questions related to being a woman in a historically male environment. Despite the difficulties, the doctor said she never let outside opinions determine her professional goals.

“I heard many times that certain roles were not for me. I was told more than once that I would never be able to hold certain positions because I was a woman. Fortunately, I never allowed those opinions to define my path,” she said.

The 2026 World Cup also marks Suzanne’s first appearance at a men’s World Cup. Although she had already taken part in other international events organized by FIFA and the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, she highlighted the competition’s special significance.

“It is my first men’s World Cup. I have already taken part in major international competitions, worked at FIFA events and was present at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. But being at a men’s World Cup is something unique,” she commented.

The doctor’s arrival on Curaçao’s coaching staff came after a recommendation from Dutchman Casper van Eijck, the national team’s former head of the medical department. The professional relationship between the two was key to the invitation.

“My connection with Curaçao began through football and a long-standing professional friendship. I know the former head of the national team’s medical department very well, Professor Casper van Eijck, who recommended me,” she explained.

Even before taking the field, Curaçao had already written an important page in World Cup history. With approximately 160,000 inhabitants, the Caribbean country became the smallest nation to compete in a World Cup edition. In its debut, despite a 7-1 defeat to Germany, the national team experienced a memorable moment by scoring its first goal in the competition.

Suzanne recalled the emotion of the moment and compared the energy she found in the country to characteristics of Brazilian culture.

“The feeling when we scored that goal against Germany was hard to describe. For a few minutes, the score was 1-1 at a World Cup. For a small country like Curaçao, that is something very special. It was a moment of enormous pride for all of us: players, coaching staff, officials, and all the people of Curaçao. There is a huge joy for life, a positive energy and a passion for football that remind me a lot of Brazil,” she said.

Even though she has lived in Europe since her teenage years, Suzanne has maintained her connection with Corinthians and follows the club whenever possible. The doctor also commented on Memphis Depay’s arrival in the black-and-white squad and the forward’s impact in the Netherlands.

“I’m a Corinthians fan and I still follow the club whenever I can. Of course, it is a lot of fun to see Memphis Depay playing for Corinthians. In the Netherlands, he is one of the best-known players of his generation, and his arrival brought enormous visibility to the club in the Netherlands,” she concluded.

After its World Cup debut, Curaçao is still searching for the first point in its World Cup history. The team returns to the field this Saturday (20) at 9 p.m. (Brasília time) against Ecuador in the second round of Group E.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.