Why Dick Advocaat was crying before Curacao’s World Cup match vs Germany

Last Updated on 15 June 2026

Before a ball was even kicked in Group E, the biggest story of the night had already happened on the touchline.

Dick Advocaat, the 78-year-old manager of World Cup 2026 debutants Curacao, was seen crying during the national anthems ahead of Curacao vs Germany, a visibly emotional Dick Advocaat moment that instantly went viral and overshadowed even the eventual Germany 7-1 Curacao scoreline.

For neutrals tuning in expecting a routine group-stage mismatch, what they got instead was one of the most human moments of Curacao’s World Cup debut so far — and plenty of people are now asking exactly why was Dick Advocaat crying before kickoff.

Why Was Dick Advocaat Crying? His Daughter, His Comeback and Curacao’s First World Cup

The Anthem That Broke Him

To understand why Dick Advocaat was so emotional, you have to go back a few months. The veteran Dutch coach — who has previously managed Netherlands, Rangers, Sunderland and Belgium — had already done the impossible by guiding Curacao to their first World Cup finals, making the Dutch Caribbean island the smallest nation in history to qualify and setting up a historic Curacao World Cup debut.

Then, just months before the tournament, he walked away. Advocaat stepped down as Curacao boss to care for his daughter amid serious health concerns, telling the Curacao Football Federation that “family comes before football.”

The link between Dick Advocaat and his daughter’s health is central to why Sunday’s scenes felt so significant — it looked, at the time, like he would miss out on the moment he had spent years building towards.

But with his daughter’s condition improving, Advocaat made a late and dramatic U-turn, returning to the dugout just weeks before kickoff. In doing so, he became the oldest World Cup manager in history, surpassing the record previously held by Otto Rehhagel.

The Anthem That Left Dick Advocaat Crying

That backstory is what made Sunday’s pre-match scenes hit so hard. As Curacao’s anthem played inside a packed Houston stadium, Advocaat was visibly overcome, dabbing at his eyes before his side had even kicked off their maiden World Cup campaign.

Clips of the moment spread quickly across social media, with fans calling it one of the most genuine moments football has produced in years.

It wasn’t the only time Advocaat showed his emotions. He was reportedly out of his seat celebrating when Livano Comenencia smashed home a deflected effort to level the score at 1-1 in the 21st minute — Curacao’s first-ever World Cup goal, sparking scenes of pure joy among the travelling “Blue Wave” supporters.

Germany 7-1 Curacao: Reality Bites After the Emotional Start

The fairytale start didn’t last. Germany regained control before half-time and ran riot in the second half, eventually winning 7-1 thanks to goals from Nico Schlotterbeck, a Kai Havertz double, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav.

For a nation of roughly 150,000 people facing a squad valued at hundreds of millions more, the result was always likely to be one-sided. But the manner of the defeat did little to dampen the significance of the occasion for Curacao.

ALSO READ – Germany WAGs at the World Cup 2026: Meet the women behind Die Mannschaft

“This Is Not a Disgrace” — Advocaat’s Defiant Response

Speaking afterwards, Advocaat refused to let the heavy scoreline define the night. He pointed instead to the achievement of simply being there, and to the joy radiating from the stands regardless of the result. In his eyes, reaching the World Cup with a squad and budget a fraction of Germany’s was already a victory in itself — and one that no scoreline could take away.

It was a reminder that for smaller footballing nations, World Cup participation can mean something far bigger than three points.

What’s Next for Curacao

Attention now turns to Saturday’s Group E meeting with Ecuador in Kansas City as Curacao look to build on the historic occasion and record more memorable moments at their first World Cup.

Whatever happens in the rest of Group E, Sunday night in Houston has already secured a place in Curacao football history. Germany may have scored seven goals, but the image many supporters will remember most is that of a 78-year-old manager wiping away tears as he stood on the touchline, grateful simply to be there after nearly missing the moment altogether.

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