THE 26 WHO MADE HISTORY

“The man who fired Curaçao to the World Cup.”

Gervane Kastaneer is the face of this Curaçao squad. With 5 goals in 8 qualifying matches, he finished as the team's top scorer on the road to the World Cup — and several of those goals came in decisive moments that kept qualification alive.

Blessed with explosive pace and direct running, Kastaneer is at his most dangerous when running at defenders in transition. His finishing has become increasingly clinical, and his ability to create something from nothing makes him the most feared attacker in the squad.

“The captain. The leader. The heartbeat.”

Leandro Bacuna is the experienced campaigner this squad relies upon. Having plied his trade in the Premier League with Aston Villa, the Championship with Cardiff City, and the Scottish Premiership with Rangers, Bacuna brings a level of composure and big-game experience that cannot be coached.

With 3 assists in qualifying, his set-piece delivery and leadership on the pitch have been indispensable. At 34, this World Cup is the crowning moment of a distinguished career spent representing Curaçao with fierce pride.

“The engine room. Box-to-box brilliance.”

Where Leandro provides experience and composure, his younger brother Juninho supplies raw dynamism and relentless energy. A true box-to-box midfielder, Juninho covers every blade of grass and is equally comfortable breaking up opposition attacks as he is driving forward into dangerous areas.

The Bacuna brothers playing side by side in midfield has become one of the defining images of this Curaçao team. Their understanding is intuitive, their commitment to the cause absolute.

“The reason Curaçao doesn’t concede.”

At 37, Eloy Room is the veteran wall between the posts. His 6 clean sheets in qualifying tell only part of the story — time after time, Room produced crucial saves at critical moments to keep Curaçao's campaign alive.

He commands his area with authority, organizes the defence with constant communication, and possesses the shot-stopping reflexes of a man ten years younger. For a squad punching above its weight, having a goalkeeper this reliable is the foundation everything else is built on.

“Eredivisie pedigree. Premier League steel.”

Jürgen Locadia brings a blend of power, technical ability, and big-game experience that makes him invaluable to this squad. Having started his career at PSV Eindhoven—where he scored over 40 goals—before moving to Brighton in the Premier League, Locadia knows what it takes to perform at the highest level.

His hold-up play gives the team an outlet when under pressure, his aerial threat is a constant danger from set pieces, and his movement creates space for Kastaneer to exploit. At 32, he is playing with the hunger of a man who knows this may be his last chance on the biggest stage.

“PSV-schooled. Süperlig-tested. World Cup-ready.”

Joshua Brenet brings top-flight European experience to Curaçao's backline. A product of the PSV Eindhoven academy, he broke into the Eredivisie as a teenager and went on to play in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim before settling into the Turkish Süperlig with Kayserispor.

A modern right-sided defender comfortable as a full-back or wing-back, Brenet combines disciplined defending with the ability to drive into the final third. His pace and crossing give Advocaat a serious attacking outlet from defence — exactly the profile this 4-4-2 system was built around.

“Manchester United-trained. Curaçao-bound.”

Tahith Chong is one of the most exciting recent additions to the Curaçao squad. Born in Willemstad and raised in the famed Feyenoord academy before making the move to Manchester United as a teenager, Chong has competed at the highest level of English football and represented the Netherlands at every youth level up to U21.

Now firmly committed to the country of his birth, Chong brings flair, dribbling and a left foot capable of unlocking deep blocks. With 2 goals in his first 4 caps, his impact has already been felt — and at 26 he arrives at the World Cup in his prime.

“Wide, fast, and impossible to stop.”

Brandley Kuwas is the wide threat that every defence dreads. Pacy, direct, and with a low centre of gravity that makes him almost impossible to knock off the ball in one-versus-one situations, Kuwas terrorises full-backs with his ability to beat men on the outside and deliver into the box.

His move to Saudi Arabia's Al-Fayha brought him into a more physically demanding league that has sharpened his game considerably. In qualifying, his runs from wide positions stretched defences and created the space for Kastaneer and Locadia to exploit centrally. Expect him to be one of the most electric wide players in Group E.

“Ajax-born. Championship-honed. Future of Korsou.”

Sontje Hansen is the youngest of the attacking spotlight names and one of the brightest talents Curaçao have produced in a generation. Coming through the Ajax academy and named the Best Player of the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup, he chose Curaçao for his senior international career and made his debut during the qualification campaign.

Now playing in the English Championship with Middlesbrough, Hansen pairs pace and direct dribbling with an eye for goal. As Kastaneer's natural partner or replacement, he gives Advocaat a youthful, fearless option in attack — and the long-term face of Curaçao football beyond 2026.