Dick Advocaat has stepped down as head coach of Curaçao's national football team, just weeks before the country is set to make its World Cup debut. The 78-year-old Dutchman cited personal reasons, saying he needs to focus on his daughter's health issues.
The Curaçao Football Federation announced the resignation on social media, stating that Advocaat is leaving with immediate effect. Advocaat, who has managed the Netherlands three times, took charge of Curaçao in 2024 and led them to their first World Cup qualification, a feat he described as the 'craziest thing' in his nearly four-decade career.
Advocaat will be replaced by compatriot Fred Rutten, a former Netherlands international defender who has previously managed PSV, Anderlecht and Feyenoord. Curaçao, an island nation of around 150,000 people, will begin their World Cup campaign against Germany in Houston on 14 June.
