A smile flashed across the face of Dick Advocaat as he was reminded that, 27 years earlier to the day, he had watched his Rangers team complete a domestic treble at Hampden Park. “I was quite successful in this stadium, so you have to be careful tomorrow,” Advocaat said. Little could anyone have known in 1999 that in 2026 Advocaat would be bringing his World Cup-bound Curaçao to Glasgow for a friendly.
During 11 minutes on Friday, Advocaat completed a verbal whistle-stop tour of everything from Martin O’Neill’s return to Celtic to his World Cup ambitions. At 78, it is remarkable to see Advocaat in this scenario. Reflections on the past in this city were inevitable. He will become the oldest coach in World Cup history when Curaçao face Germany on 14 June.
“I don’t care because I don’t feel that age,” said the Dutchman with typical bluntness. “I have definitely changed a lot. There are things that normally under me would not be possible that are possible. That has to do with the squad – they are paid amateurs and you can see it. You have to change sometimes. At the highest level you cannot change; you have to be sharp and clear so that everybody knows what they have to do. But we did what we had to do to become members of this World Cup.”
Curacao, ranked 82nd in the world, will feature in North America as Italy look on from afar. “We are not the favourites, we know this when we start,” Advocaat said. “But people who aren’t favourites can surprise. Today, you can even go on [to the next round] with two or three points.”
This marks another kind of return for Advocaat. He was in charge as Curaçao sealed their World Cup berth but resigned in February owing to a family health matter he is unwilling to discuss. Advocaat was reappointed this month.
“I was the coach who qualified with the team,” Advocaat said. “Something happened at home, which was the reason that I stopped. I could come back and start again. That gives me a good feeling, to be a part of this tournament will be something special.
“I didn’t expect to be playing against Scotland with Curaçao so that is a surprise. The goal was to qualify for the Gold Cup a year ago and we did it. From that moment on, they started believing even more. It is a very hard-working team. Besides the game they enjoy their life; they are laughing, the music is there and maybe more, but at the games, they do what they do.
“You must have a little bit of luck that people still want you at this age. If they don’t ask any more, you are finished. I still get the phone calls, which makes it difficult to refuse. I have already said so many times I will quit. Then someone calls me. I think: ‘So they are still interested …’ And then I go. Normally, [after the World Cup] I will stop.”
Last December, Advocaat pursued Steve Clarke vigorously at the World Cup draw when seeking this game. “I remember when I was the manager of Holland and we had a game like this against Ireland, before we went to wherever,” Advocaat said, in apparent reference to a 1-0 defeat immediately before Euro 2004. “We lost. These kind of things can happen. If you are realistic, Scotland has the better players but you can have surprises.”
As Advocaat winds down, Clarke has other thoughts. This week the Scotland manager signed a contract that will extend his tenure until the 2030 World Cup. Upcoming participation in the 2026 version seems to have stoked Clarke’s desire. “We should be qualifying regularly for tournaments,” he said. “That is not to say we won’t miss one now and again. A country of our size, there is the difficulty now with qualifying for tournaments. But to make sure we don’t have long gaps between tournaments. If we miss one, OK, but make sure we are at the next one.”
Clarke had returned to Scotland’s team base as Advocaat reappeared at the scene of former triumphs. “I remember [former Rangers chair] David Murray, with the president of Celtic, tried to be involved in the English league,” Advocaat said. “Not to start at the top but in the fourth division. They [the English clubs] were scared to do that so they refused. I still think that was a great idea. It will never happen. Celtic and Rangers are so big it is unbelievable – not everybody realises that.” Nowadays, Advocaat spreads the gospel of a tiny Caribbean nation.