Just weeks before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the Curaçao National Team is facing an unexpected scenario. In recent hours, Fred Rutten resigned as coach, leaving the team without leadership after only three months in the position.
The departure was confirmed by the local federation through a statement, which explained that the decision was made to preserve internal harmony. The coach himself was emphatic in justifying his stance: "A climate that harms healthy professional relationships within the team or coaching staff should not be established. That is why leaving is the right decision".
"Time is pressing, and Curaçao must move forward. I regret the course that events have taken, but I wish everyone the best", added the Dutch coach, marking the end of a cycle as brief as it was turbulent. Rutten, who had taken over in February after Dick Advocaat's departure, managed only two matches during the last FIFA window, both of which ended in defeats (0-2 against China and 1-5 against Australia).
Rutten resigned in Curacao a month before the World Cup.
In light of the urgency, a temporary return of Advocaat is not ruled out, who had left the position for personal reasons after achieving historic qualification. "I have always said that family comes before football", the 78-year-old coach had argued at the time.
Meanwhile, the team with the smallest territory in the entire competition, with only 444 square kilometers of surface area, will have to reorganize against the clock in the run-up to the biggest challenge in its history. Curaçao will be in Group E, where it will face Germany (June 15 in Houston) in its debut, followed by Ecuador (June 20 in Kansas) and Côte d'Ivoire (June 25 in Philadelphia).
