World Cup: Dick Advocaat steps down and misses Curacao history

“But of course this does not change the fact that I will miss Curacao, the people there and my teammates very much,” he added.

Advocaat, who has coached the Netherlands, Belgium, South Korea, Eindhoven and Sunderland, spent two years as Curacao’s coach.

Unbeaten in six matches, they reached the finals for the first time after topping their CONCACAF qualifying group ahead of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Bermuda.

The Scottish national team, led by Steve Clarke, hosts Japan and Ivory Coast in two friendly matches in March before Curacao visits Hampden to play the last friendly match before the summer finals in the Americas.

By then, the team will be led by 63-year-old former Dutch defender Rutten, who previously coached PSV Eindhoven, Anderlecht and Feyenoord.

He recently returned to PSV Eindhoven as assistant to Ruud van Nistelrooy, and spent a spell as caretaker supervisor after his Dutch colleague’s departure in 2023.

Rutten’s team begins its World Cup campaign with a Group E match against Germany in Houston on June 14, and will also face Ivory Coast and Ecuador.

The Scots begin their campaign the day before against Haiti, with Brazil and Morocco the other two teams in Group C.