Team Curaçao Arrives at the World Cup With Much of the Island in Tow.

Article excerpt

Curaçao qualified for the World Cup for the first time, and the island of roughly 150,000 people is sending a significant portion of its population to support the team. The qualification represents an outsized achievement for a small Caribbean nation with limited soccer resources and infrastructure. Residents describe the team's success as a source of national pride and unity, with many planning to travel abroad for matches despite the economic strain. For a country with a tourism-dependent economy, the World Cup qualification offers a rare moment of international sporting prominence and collective celebration.