In a surprising turn of events, Curacao’s head coach Dick Advocaat has temporarily departed from the team’s training camp in Kingston, Jamaica, citing personal reasons. The announcement was made by the Curacao Football Federation on Saturday evening, just days before the decisive World Cup qualifier against Jamaica on Tuesday. The federation expressed its full support for Advocaat’s decision, with President Gilbert Martina stating, ‘We respect the decision of the head coach. The entire federation stands behind him.’
During Advocaat’s absence, assistant coaches Dean Gorré and Cor Pot will take charge of training sessions, match preparations, and other team activities. Despite his physical absence, Advocaat will remain actively involved in strategic decisions, maintaining regular communication with Gorré and Pot to ensure continuity in tactics and player management.
Curacao currently leads their World Cup qualification group with 11 points, just one point ahead of Jamaica. A draw in the upcoming match would secure Curacao’s automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The team previously defeated Jamaica 2-0 in their last encounter in Curacao, boosting their confidence ahead of this critical fixture.