
Dick Advocaat
Dick Advocaat is one of Dutch football's most experienced managers, with a career spanning decades and multiple countries — including spells with PSV, the Netherlands national team, and clubs across Russia, Turkey, and the Middle East. He took over Curaçao in 2024 at 77, bringing elite-level tactical knowledge to a nation still building its international identity. Known for pragmatic, defensively organised setups and clear man-management, Advocaat's greatest asset for a small nation is his ability to impose structure quickly. His Feyenoord stint proved he could still motivate players at the highest Dutch level well into his seventies.
Den Haag, Netherlands · 1947-09-27
Profile
Dick Advocaat, the 77-year-old Dutch veteran nicknamed 'The Little General', brings a CV that includes PSV, Rangers, the Netherlands and Russia national teams. He favours compact, organised defensive shapes — typically a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 — and demands disciplined positional play over flair. His second stint with Curaçao has focused on making the side hard to break down, leveraging the Dutch-football DNA running through most of the squad to impose structure on a group of players spread across lower European leagues.
Career
Team identity
Dick Advocaat typically deploys a 4-3-3 that compresses into a 4-5-1 out of possession. Riechedly Bazoer sits deepest in midfield, screening the back four of Armando Obispo, Joshua Brenet, Shurandy Sambo and Roshon van Eijma. Leandro Bacuna and Juninho Bacuna operate as the two advanced midfielders. In transition, Tahith Chong is the primary outlet, running in behind, while Jurgen Locadia leads the line as a physical reference point.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Curaçao's manager at the 2026 World Cup?
Dick Advocaat is the head coach of Curaçao at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What is Dick Advocaat's background?
Dick Advocaat is one of Dutch football's most experienced managers, with a career spanning decades and multiple countries — including spells with PSV, the Netherlands national team, and clubs across Russia, Turkey, and the Middle East. He t…