The first time we saw Dick Advocaat cry was when he heard Curaçao’s national anthem ahead of their opener against Germany. At 78 years old, he had just become the oldest manager in World Cup history and Curaçao, with just 150,000 people, officially became the smallest nation to ever play in the tournament.

Though they were thumped 7-1 against Germany in their opening match, they also scored the nation’s first-ever World Cup goal to briefly tie that game, and Advocaat was typically defiant: “7-1 is a major result, but we were playing a major team,” he said. “This is a great opportunity. That’s how we should see this for the island, for the ​team. It’s unfathomable that we’re actually playing in this huge tournament. These (fans) will never forget that in their lives.”

When Curaçao battled to earn its first-ever World Cup point against Ecuador, Dick Advocaat fought back tears again. In a 39-year career that has included spells with the Dutch, Russian, and Belgian national teams as well as keeping Sunderland in the Premier League, this may be the most important job Advocaat has done and his outpouring of emotion recognizes this.

He oversaw the Dutch constituent Caribbean island’s qualification for the World Cup as they emphatically went unbeaten, though he was unfortunately not present for the draw against Jamaica that officially clinched qualification, having resigned his position in February, citing his daughter’s health issues. “I’ve always said family comes before football,” he said at the time. “This is therefore a natural decision, but that doesn’t change the fact that I will miss Curaçao, the people and the island.”

But Advocaat’s presence was sorely missed. His successor, Fred Rutten, lost two friendlies, and soon resigned. “A climate that damages healthy professional relationships among players and staff must not be allowed to emerge,” he said after quitting his post. Advocaat, with his daughter’s health improving, returned to the job in May. 

He hasn’t just taken the smallest nation to a World Cup to score its first goals and gain its first point; he has transformed the way an entire country views football while putting them on the global footballing map.

And how did he do that? Thanks to a little known Dutch player and coach, Remko Bicenti. Involved with the team since 2010, Bicentini soon began calling coaches up to locate players who could represent Curaçao from around the world, including several who had represented the Netherlands at youth level and dreamt of playing in a World Cup for the Oranje and had a Curacaoan mother, father, or Grandparent. The plan was given a boost by Dutch soccer legend Patrick Kluivert, whose mother was Curaçaoan and who managed its national team in 2015 and 2016. A call from Kluivert was powerful enough to sway many players. 

Eloy Room, the hero who saved 15 shots against Ecuador, has been representing the country since Kluivert and Bicentini convinced him to join in 2015. More joined soon after, igniting the belief that this was their best opportunity at getting to a World Cup. Tahith Chong, who came up through the youth ranks at Manchester United, is the only player to be born in Curaçao.

Curaçao is hardly alone. It’s an approach that has gained more traction throughout international football, with players who perhaps played for a different nation at youth level going on to represent a different country at senior level. 

It’s been a long, tempestuous journey, one that involved the team barely being able to arrange proper travel, hotels or the correct kit. Many times, players had to fork out for their own ticket and flights. They had to drum up the interest and go from there, make Curaçao a story worth selling for people to care about.

Room spoke about how long the process had been with FOX Sports ‘This was the main reason I started to play for Curaçao, because back then we had a dream. Back then, we were told, ‘It’s going to be a long road, a bumpy road’. But I really believed we could reach the World Cup.’

They aren’t the only team to exploit the cosmopolitan rule of having players not born in their own country, but there hasn’t been a smaller nation that has needed to work harder and chase the impossible dream. At an expanded tournament, they’re the little island that could—and a a nation that perfectly reflects what many are calling the “Diaspora World Cup.”