Advocaat: Tears of a Coach Who Triumphed for Life Before Football

The match between Curaçao and Germany in the 2026 World Cup witnessed emotional moments as cameras captured the tears of the veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, who had an extraordinary journey to reach this historic event with the Curaçao national team.

Advocaat announced his resignation from coaching the Curaçao national team last February due to the difficult health conditions his daughter was experiencing, preferring to be with his family during that sensitive time, and affirming that family comes before anything else.

However, fate had a different ending for the story. After his daughter's health improved and she recovered in May, Advocaat returned to the scene, especially after his compatriot Fred Rutten left the coaching staff. The veteran coach resumed the task he had started and led the team in its first-ever participation in the World Cup.

Thanks to the work led by Advocaat over the past years, the Curaçao national team succeeded in making history by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time. Their appearance in the tournament is a crowning achievement for the 78-year-old coach, who proved that some victories in life are more important than any result on the field.