Dick Advocaat will become the oldest manager in World Cup history when he leads Curaçao against Germany on 14 June 2026. The 78-year-old Dutchman, who previously managed Rangers, returns to Scotland for a friendly against Steve Clarke's side at Hampden Park on Saturday.
Advocaat, who originally qualified Curaçao for the World Cup before resigning in February due to a family health matter, was reappointed this month. 'I didn't expect to be playing against Scotland with Curaçao so that is a surprise,' he said. 'The goal was to qualify for the Gold Cup a year ago and we did it. From that moment on, they started believing even more.'
Curaçao, ranked 82nd in the world, will compete in North America. Advocaat acknowledged the challenge: 'We are not the favourites, we know this when we start. But people who aren't favourites can surprise. Today, you can even go on with two or three points.'
Reflecting on his age, Advocaat said: 'I don't care because I don't feel that age. You must have a little bit of luck that people still want you at this age. If they don't ask any more, you are finished. I still get the phone calls, which makes it difficult to refuse.' He added that he will likely stop after the World Cup.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke, who recently signed a contract until 2030, said: 'We should be qualifying regularly for tournaments. That is not to say we won't miss one now and again. A country of our size, there is the difficulty now with qualifying for tournaments.'
