Curaçao made history by qualifying for next summer’s World Cup, but small population isn’t necessarily a barrier for some of the countries that have reached the finals in the past.
The Caribbean island of Curaçao made history by becoming the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup after a draw with Jamaica, with a stalemate long enough to secure a ticket to North America.
Although the country has a population smaller than Milton Keynes and clearly punches well above its weight, it is not the first country to vastly outweigh its resources. Curacao will be on par with the likes of England, Brazil and Argentina, but few will think they will claim the scalp.
However, many countries have shown that having a small population and a small number of athletes is not an obstacle to being highly competitive on the world stage. In other sports, teams with fewer talent to choose from remain world leaders.
Curaçao will enter the World Cup with almost no players recognized by fans. Back in 2018, little old Iceland managed to hold Argentina to a draw. Although they too have a small population, they have shown that they are still competitive.
The smallest countries to qualify for next summer’s World Cup are: Some of them may participate in later stages.
read more: Steve McClaren resigns as Jamaica coach, ‘left in tears’ after humiliation in qualifyingread more: John McGinn rules out opportunity to take part in Scotland World Cup celebrations: ‘I can’t write’
10. Paraguay – 7 million people
The South American team will return for the first time in 16 years. They narrowly lost in England’s opening game in 2006, but showed that the current squad can put it together. They are tied with Colombia, Uruguay and Brazil on points. Second place Ecuador was only one point behind in qualifying. In 2010, they narrowly lost to eventual champions Spain in the quarterfinals.
9. Norway – 5.6 million people
do not be afraid. Arguably the most prolific striker in the world will be at the World Cup, with Erling Haaland’s goal leading his country to the World Cup. He has missed major tournaments since he burst onto the scene, but after an impressive qualifying campaign, he is unlikely to feature again. Haaland became Europe’s top scorer, scoring 16 goals in eight qualifying games for his country, helping Norway reach its fourth World Cup. His previous best finish was the Round of 16 in 1998.
8. Scotland – 5.5 million people
It was an unforgettable night for Scotland in Glasgow. Scotland had to see off Denmark to qualify for the competition for the first time in 28 years, but thanks to two stoppage-time goals they achieved it. They have played in back-to-back Euros and have been waiting for a World Cup spot, but players like Scott McTominay will be their hopes when they head to North America. They hope to make history by making it through the group stage.
7. New Zealand – 5.2 million people
Their population never stopped the All Blacks from dominating the rugby world. However, he did not have much success in football, qualifying only twice. They remained undefeated with three draws in 1982 and 2010. Chris Wood led the team in qualifying, scoring nine goals in the process, topping the scoring list.
6. Panama – 4.5 million people
Panama first qualified for the tournament in 2018, losing badly to England in the group stage, but now Panama are back to try again having topped their qualifying group. The top two scorers were Jose Fajardo and Jose Luis Rodriguez, who both scored three goals.
5. Croatia – 3.8 million people
One of the most accomplished teams in world football. They reached the semi-finals in 1998 and 2022 and lost to France in the final just eight years ago. Lately, Luka Modric has been controlling the midfield. His efforts in 2018 earned him the Ballon d’Or and the veteran could play in his fifth World Cup next summer. Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric was the top scorer in qualifying.
4. Uruguay – 3.3 million people
Despite having such a large population, they have won the World Cup twice. That was in 1930 and 1950. Since then, they have continued to perform brilliantly. In 2010, they reached the top four and brought in Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. They are currently led by former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa, who wants the South American side to be ready for next summer.
3. Qatar – 3.1 million people
They participated in the previous tournament, but this time they qualified based on merit. He appeared as the host nation in 2022, but had little impact on the pitch. They will be expected to do better this time around after long negotiations to finish first in the group that includes the UAE and Oman.
2. Cape Verde – 528,000
If it wasn’t for Curaçao, it probably would have made it to the front page. Cape Verde shocked Cameroon and took first place in their qualifying group, making their North American debut. The island nation, located off the west coast of Africa, is the smallest country to have ever competed in the finals, based on land size, and the second smallest country in terms of population.
1. Curacao – 185,000
They achieved the draw they needed against Jamaica to secure World Cup qualification. They sit 82nd in the goals standings and the goalless draw led to wild celebrations. They earned 12 points from six games in the same group, which also included Trinidad and Tobago, who had played in the 2006 tournament. Curacao kept four clean sheets in six games.
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