He Shone in Slovakia and One of the World Cup's Most Exotic Teams. He Remembers How They Troubled the USA

Curacao, a tiny island spanning 444 km², is located in Central America, just north of Venezuela, and is part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago. The island came under Dutch rule in the 17th century, and this influence remains strikingly evident today, even in its football culture. Curacaoan players often have strong ties to Dutch football, frequently developing their skills in Europe.

This is certainly the case for Curacao's most renowned representative in our region: Gino van Kessel. He shone in Slovakia playing for AS Trenčín, where he secured two doubles and became the league's top scorer. He also played for Spartak Trnava and Zemplín Michalovce.

Curacao received an exceptionally harsh welcome to the 2026 World Cup. In their opening match, they suffered a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Germany, one of the tournament favorites.

"It's a shame it ended with such a high scoreline. Our team practically gifted some of those goals to the opposition. On the other hand, we can be proud that we scored a goal in our very first game, especially against a powerhouse like Germany. The players showed some beautiful moments. Unfortunately, the quality gap was simply too wide," Gino van Kessel exclusively told ŠPORT.sk.

Curacao is still set to face Ecuador and Ivory Coast in Group E. In these matches, their opponents will again be favorites, ranking 59 and 49 places higher in the FIFA rankings, respectively. This Caribbean microstate, with a population roughly a third of Bratislava's (158,000), can only hope to surprise.

"I believe they will continue to play their own style and will once again produce some good plays in the upcoming matches," van Kessel predicts.

He then elaborated on what Curacao's unique playing style entails.

"There's a huge desire to play attacking football, built on quick counter-attacks. The team also possesses the necessary quality for it. They have fast and technically gifted players on the wings. If you can find them at the right moment, they can be dangerous," reveals the experienced 33-year-old globetrotter, who, since leaving Michalovce in October 2024, has played in a lower Spanish league and most recently for Indian club Forca Kochi.

Gino van Kessel played a total of 26 matches for the Curacao national team between 2015 and 2022, scoring 8 goals. He had a fantastic run in 2016 during the Caribbean Cup qualifiers, finding the net seven times in four consecutive games.

The pinnacle of his international career is not hard to pinpoint.

"It was a great experience for me to be part of the national team and play in two major tournaments like the Gold Cup, which is the championship of North and Central America," recalls the Alkmaar-born player, who developed his football skills at the famous Ajax Amsterdam academy. He represented Curacao because it is his mother's birthplace.

"I particularly fondly remember my second Gold Cup. We managed to reach the quarter-finals, where we narrowly lost 1-0 to the USA," van Kessel reminisced, casting his mind back seven years.

His former teammates can still be found in the current national squad. Against Germany, for instance, brothers Juninho and Leandro Bacuna, the team captain, started. Another player with a Trenčín past, Rangelo Janga, is no longer on the roster but is also a notable name.

And while Curacao is currently led by the highly respected coaching figure of Dick Advocaat, it was no different in Gino van Kessel's early days. The team's coach back then was the former star striker Patrick Kluivert.

Naturally, the Netherlands is also participating in the ongoing championship, operating on a completely different level of quality. However, even the "Oranje" didn't have an ideal start to the tournament. They led twice against Japan but ultimately only secured one point after a late equalizer in the 89th minute.

"The quality of the Dutch national team this year is exceptionally high. They probably have the most comprehensive midfield of all the teams in the tournament. Almost all the players who started in the opening match play for top clubs in the Premier League, Serie A, or La Liga, which are the best leagues in the world. I believe the Dutch can make it into the top four teams at the championship," concluded Gino van Kessel, currently on holiday, in his conversation with ŠPORT.sk.