Kansas City’s stadium was a churning sea of yellow and blue, but for 78-year-old Dick Advocaat, the world narrowed down to a rectangular green lawn.
“Look at that person’s eyes.” I whispered, pointing to the TV screen where the broadcast camera zoomed in on the Curaçao director.
His face is lined with maps of a 40-year coaching career that has taken him around the world, but now his hands are tied tightly in his coat pockets to hide the tremors.
Just four months ago, Dick wouldn’t even have thought about being here.
When his daughter fell ill in the winter, he was not interested in records, fame or the glamor of the World Cup.
He left the team. Instead of a tactical whiteboard, he was sitting next to a hospital bed. Because he knew there was something much more important than games. But fate has a strange way of bringing you back when your story isn’t over. Curaçao once again laced up their boots when they needed a leader at the absolute 11th hour.
On the pitch, the small Caribbean island nation with a population of just 156,000 faces the might of Ecuador. Six days earlier, Germany tore them apart 7-1. The world expected them to pack their bags and go home.
Rather, they are fighting like lions.
“Watch out for the keeper!”
Eloirum leaps into the air and fires a fierce volley of fire. It was his 12th save in this game. Then his thirteenth. Next is the fourteenth. down the touchline,
Dick doesn’t scream anymore. He stands completely still, tuned to the heartbeat of a small island thousands of miles away. There, people hold their breath and cram into bars and living rooms. Opposite him, the Ecuadorian coach, decades younger, paced furiously. Dick just watches. He’s watched thousands of football games, but he’s never seen a team play with so much heart.
The referee put the whistle to his mouth and screamed. Three sharp explosions echo through the stadium.
0-0. Full time.
The Curaçao bench was in disarray. The players collapsed on the grass, completely exhausted and elated. They did it. For the first time ever, the smallest country to ever compete on this stage has earned World Cup points.
As the players run to celebrate, the camera pans back to the oldest manager in history. The tough, weather-beaten old general was finally freed. Tears streamed down his face as his coaches hugged him. He didn’t just break longevity records.
He showed a stadium filled with thousands of people and a small island in the sun. That you’re never too old to dream, and you’re never too small to fight.
Curaçao’s next game is scheduled for Thursday, June 25 against Ivory Coast at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 PM ET.
Fans in the United States can watch the game live on FS1 and it will be broadcast in Spanish on Universo. Streaming options include FOX One, the Fox Sports app, Fubo, and YouTube TV, with availability dependent on subscription package.
