The Smallest Country Ever at a World Cup

Curacao is a small island in the Caribbean Sea, with only about one hundred and fifty eight thousand people. This summer, it became the smallest country ever to play at a men's World Cup. The whole island felt proud, because reaching such a huge tournament was once only a dream. People watched the games together in homes, in bars, and on the streets.

In their first match, on June the fourteenth, Curacao played against Germany, one of the strongest teams in the world. Germany scored first, but then Curacao surprised everyone and tied the game, with the small island's first ever World Cup goal. For a moment the German players looked shocked. Germany soon took control again and scored seven goals in all, winning by seven to one.

Even though they lost, the players from Curacao smiled and thanked their fans. They had already won something special by being there at all. For a tiny island, standing on the same field as the best teams on the planet was a victory of its own. The world had learned the name of Curacao.