Emotional Fred Rutten opens up on missing World Cup 2026 with Curaçao

On Monday evening, former Dutch coach Fred Rutten sat down with and, for the first time, laid bare his emotions over Curaçao’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, describing the disappointment as a painful wound in his candid interview last night.

Rutten, who was promoted in March as the national team manager after Dick Advocaat stepped down, recalled the optimism that surrounded his appointment.

He said the hope evaporated when Advocaat returned, ending the prospect of leading Curaçao to the tournament.

According to Rutten, the sequence of events has left deep marks that still affect him.