King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands began Saturday cheering the Dutch past Sweden in Houston. By the end of the day, they were in Kansas City watching Curaçao make history against Ecuador — after swapping their bright orange scarves for bright blue ones.
Curaçao, the smallest World Cup team in population and size, made their tournament debut last Sunday with a 7-1 loss to Germany. But they bounced back with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, earning their first-ever point in the tournament.
“Curaçao earned their first ever World Cup point with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, watched by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima.”
The king told RTL-TV: “It is an extra special World Cup because we have both the Netherlands and Curaçao. So we have twice as many teams to cheer for. A great opportunity to cheer on both the Blues and the Oranges. All in all, it will be a special World Cup for me with two teams, and I naturally hope they go extremely far.”
The point was secured by goalkeeper Eloy Room, who made 15 saves — one off the World Cup record — to keep Ecuador at bay. After the match, the royal family joined the Curaçao dressing room to celebrate.
“It’s amazing,” said midfielder Tahith Chong. “I knew before the game that they were coming to the game. To have them at such a game that we pick up our first point ever in history is amazing.”
Curaçao’s 78-year-old coach, Dick Advocaat, who was born and raised in the Netherlands, said: “Seeing how the king, his wife and daughter fit in our group is something that evokes a lot of respect. They smile, they dance, nothing is too much for them, and you can see them radiating with joy. It was wonderful to see the royal family in this way.”
Curaçao are still alive in the tournament after the draw, while the Netherlands moved one step closer to the knockouts. For the king, the dual support continues: “A great opportunity to cheer on both the Blues and the Oranges.”