Sub-confederation CFU (Caribbean) Home stadium Stadion Ergilio Hato Arena/Stadium Ergilio Hato Stadium Head coach Remko Bicentini | Most caps Cuco Martina (25) FIFA code CUW Captain Cuco Martina Confederation CONCACAF | |
Top scorer Felitciano Zschusschen (8) Current 73 2 (9 February 2017) Association Curaçao Football Federation | ||
The Curaçao national football team (Dutch: Curaçaos voetbalelftal; Papiamentu, Selekshon di Futbòl Kòrsou) represents Curaçao in International association football and is controlled by the Curaçao Football Federation.
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History
The first national football team to bear the name Curaçao was the Territory of Curaçao national football team, which made its debut in 1924 in an away match against neighboring Aruba, a match which the Territory of Curaçao won four to nil.
In December 1954, the territory of Curaçao became the Netherlands Antilles, and following a constitutional change the Netherlands Antilles were designated a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which included the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten. The name of the Curaçao team also changed its name to Netherlands Antilles national team, representing all six islands.
In 1986, Aruba became a country within the Kingdom in its own right, with its own Aruba national football team and subsequently Aruban players did not longer represent the Netherlands Antilles.
On 10 October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved, and Curaçao and Sint Maarten became countries in their own right, while Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius became part of the Netherlands proper. Although not a sovereign state, Curaçao (the largest island territory in the Netherlands Antilles) appeared on the FIFA member list in March 2011, as successor of the Netherlands Antilles.
As well as taking on the Netherlands Antilles' FIFA membership, Curaçao was recognised as the direct successor of the former (similarly to how Serbia is regarded the direct successor of Yugoslavia, and Russia for the Soviet Union), and took on its historical records and FIFA ranking.
They played their first match as the newly formed Curaçao national team on 20 August 2011 against Dominican Republic at the Estadio Panamericano, with the match ending in a 1–0 loss for Curaçao.
During the CONCACAF Qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Curaçao achieved a major feat when they defeated Cuba 1–1 with the away goals rule.
Competitive record
All competitive matches played from 1921–1958 were contested as the Territory of Curaçao (comprising all six islands of the Netherlands Antilles). From 1958–2010 all matches were contested as the Netherlands Antilles, successor of the Territory of Curaçao, (still comprising six islands until 1986, when Aruba seceded). All competitive fixtures after 2010 were contested by Curaçao, which solely consists of the island nation itself. Under the newly formed governing body, Curaçao have so far only compete in the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, the 2012 Caribbean Cup qualification, the 2014 and 2017 Caribbean Cup as well as the ABCS Tournament.