The tiny Caribbean nation of Curaçao made history on Tuesday by becoming the smallest country ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, securing their place after a hard-fought 0–0 draw with Jamaica in Kingston.
With just 156,000 inhabitants, Curaçao withstood a relentless second-half attack from the Reggae Boyz, holding on to the tie they needed to book their spot in the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Their qualification capped off a dream campaign for the “Blue Wave,” who topped Group B with 12 points from six matches—finishing one point ahead of Jamaica.
In doing so, Curaçao surpassed Iceland (population ~350,000 in 2018) to become the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup, just in time for the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams next year.