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The smallest nation by population in the tournament comes face-to-face with the four-time winners on Sunday when tiny Curacao play Germany in a true World Cup fairytale.
Curacao, a Caribbean island of 160,000 people, are making their World Cup debut, a beneficiary of FIFA’s decision to expand the field to 48 teams this year.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann described the match in Houston as a meeting of “David and Goliath” while his opposite number Dick Advocaat believes his charges can “steal some points”.
The Curacao players’ carefree attitude has already won admirers with players singing and dancing bare-chested on the team bus in a viral social media post.
“We are a nation that loves to have a little bit of a party as well,” said captain Leandro Bacuna. “We love to have fun.”
Advocaat, 78, is the oldest coach in World Cup history.
Despite his vast experience at both club and international level – he has also taken charge of the Netherlands and South Korea at a World Cup – the Dutchman said the team spirit that carried Curacao to the tournament was unique.
“The team spirit in this team is something I’ve never seen before. As a country we will give everything to win for the island, but we’re not the favourite,” he said on Saturday.
Nagelsmann compared the match to a domestic club clash.
“This is a German Cup situation. David versus Goliath,” he said, and warned his team: “You never win a match just because you’re favourites.”
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will start in his fifth World Cup.
Agence France-Presse
