The smile that flickered across Dick Advocaat’s face as he entered Hampden Park on Friday was layered with nostalgia. Precisely 27 years earlier, he had watched his Rangers side complete a domestic treble at the same stadium, cementing a legacy that includes two Scottish Premier League titles, a pair of Scottish Cups, and a League Cup between 1998 and 2001. This time, however, the 78-year-old was not here to relive past glories but to guide Curaçao — a nation ranked 82nd in the world — through a friendly against Scotland, the final rehearsal before their historic debut at the 2026 World Cup.
Advocaat’s return to Glasgow carries symbolic weight. During his tenure at Ibrox, he built a formidable team that dominated Scottish football, and his memories of those triumphs remain vivid. Yet the man who once sparred with Martin O’Neill’s Celtic now faces a very different challenge: drilling a squad of largely part-time players into a cohesive unit capable of competing on the sport’s grandest stage. “I was quite successful in this stadium, so you have to be careful tomorrow,” he quipped, hinting at the motivational edge he still carries.
The friendly against Scotland was no mere exhibition for Advocaat. It was an opportunity to test his side against a nation that, after a 28-year wait, is itself returning to the World Cup. Curaçao’s players — a blend of amateur and semi-professional talents — have forced their coach to adapt. In his earlier incarnations, Advocaat was known for an uncompromising, detail-obsessed style that demanded absolute precision. Now, he concedes, “You have to change sometimes.” With a squad that thrives on spirit rather than tactical rigidity, he has learned to blend structure with the infectious joy his players bring to training: laughter, music, and a relentless work ethic on matchdays.
That unlikely concoction proved potent enough to carry Curaçao through CONCACAF qualifying, a feat Advocaat oversaw before a brief hiatus. In February, a private family health issue forced him to step down, but he was reappointed this month, ensuring his name would be etched in the record books. When Curaçao face Germany on June 14, Advocaat will become the oldest head coach in World Cup history. “I don’t care because I don’t feel that age,” he said with characteristic bluntness. The achievement is a testament to his longevity and the trust he still commands in the game.
The journey to this point was far from linear. Advocaat took charge of Curaçao with the immediate goal of qualifying for the Gold Cup, a target they met. From that success, belief snowballed, fuelling their improbable World Cup qualification. The coach praised his players’ evolution: “It is a very hard-working team. Besides the game they enjoy their life; they are laughing, the music is there … but at the games, they do what they do.” His willingness to adapt his methods to the unique culture of his squad underscores the pragmatic intelligence that has sustained his career across decades and continents.
Advocaat’s drive to secure this specific tune-up match was no accident. He recalled a painful lesson from his time managing the Netherlands, when a pre-tournament friendly against Ireland ended in a 1-0 defeat just before Euro 2004. “These kind of things can happen,” he said. By pursuing Scotland vigorously at the World Cup draw last December, he aimed to replicate the pressure and intensity of a competitive environment while cautioning that even superior opponents can be surprised — a warning as much to his own team as to the hosts.
For Scotland, the occasion marks a milestone of its own. Steve Clarke has just signed a contract extension that will keep him at the helm until the 2030 World Cup, a reward for ending the nation’s long absence from football’s marquee event. Clarke is already looking ahead, stating bluntly, “We should be qualifying regularly for tournaments.” He acknowledged the challenges posed by Scotland’s size but emphasised that the goal is to avoid lengthy gaps, accepting that occasional misses are part of the cycle. The upcoming finals have clearly rekindled Clarke’s ambition, and this friendly serves as a launchpad for a summer that could redefine Scottish football.
Advocaat, in his characteristic manner, did not limit his observations to the pitch. He fondly remembered an audacious plan from his Rangers days, when then-chairman David Murray and Celtic’s president sought entry into the English football pyramid, starting from the fourth tier. “They [the English clubs] were scared to do that so they refused,” Advocaat said, still believing the move would have been transformative. “Celtic and Rangers are so big it is unbelievable — not everybody realises that.” The comment underscored his deep connection to the Scottish game and his appreciation of its global stature, even as he now champions a tiny Caribbean nation.
As the final whistle approaches on his extraordinary career, Advocaat confesses that retirement is a word he has uttered many times, only to be lured back by the ring of the phone. “If they don’t ask any more, you are finished,” he said. The World Cup, he insists, will likely be his last act. Whether Curaçao can spring a surprise in a group that includes Germany remains to be seen, but their mere presence — and the presence of a 78-year-old tactician on the sideline — enriches a tournament that often celebrates giants.
The friendly at Hampden, then, is more than a nostalgic curtain-raiser. It is a collision of stories: a coach chasing one final chapter of glory, a squad of dreamers living out an improbable fantasy, and a Scotland side determined to prove that their return to the World Cup is not a one-off but the beginning of a new era. As Advocaat surveyed the familiar surroundings, he might have allowed himself a moment to reflect on the distance travelled — from the treble-winning heights in Glasgow to the sandy pitches of the Caribbean, and now back again, with a berth in the global spotlight just over the horizon.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.
