Dick Advocaat has resigned from his position as head coach of the Curaçao national football team with immediate effect, a decision announced on February 23, 2026, that has sent shockwaves through the football world.
The 78-year-old Dutch veteran, who guided the small Caribbean island nation—home to a population of around 150,000—to their historic first-ever qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will not be on the sidelines when the tournament begins this summer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Curaçao had been drawn to face formidable opposition in their opening match against four-time world champions Germany, making Advocaat’s departure all the more poignant just months before the team’s groundbreaking campaign.
The resignation stems from deeply personal family reasons, specifically health issues affecting his daughter. In a heartfelt statement released by the Curaçao Football Federation (FFK), Advocaat emphasized his longstanding principle that family must always take precedence over football. “I’ve always said that family comes before football,” he said. “This is therefore a natural decision.
But of course that doesn’t change the fact that I’m going to miss Curaçao, the people there, and my colleagues very much.” He also expressed pride in the players, staff, and federation officials who supported the improbable journey to World Cup qualification, describing it as the “craziest thing” he had achieved across a managerial career spanning nearly four decades that included high-profile roles with the Netherlands, PSV Eindhoven, Rangers, Sunderland, and others.
Advocaat had been in charge for two years, transforming Curaçao into a competitive force in CONCACAF and achieving what many viewed as a fairytale success story for one of the region’s smallest nations.
His assistant Cor Pot and team doctor Casper van Eyck have also stepped away in support of his decision. The federation has quickly moved to appoint fellow Dutchman Fred Rutten—a former defender for the Netherlands who has managed clubs like PSV, Anderlecht, and Feyenoord—as the new head coach to lead the team into their debut World Cup appearance.
While the transition brings uncertainty, the Curaçao Football Federation has voiced gratitude for Advocaat’s contributions and confidence in Rutten’s ability to continue the momentum. The news underscores the personal toll that high-level coaching can exact, even amid remarkable professional triumphs.