Coach Hiddink Tests Positive for COVID-19... Curacao Faces World Cup Qualifiers Emergency

Kluivert Appointed as Interim Manager at Coach Hiddink's Request

Guus Hiddink Cura?ao National Team Coach
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] Guus Hiddink (75), head coach of the Cura?ao national football team, has tested positive for COVID-19.

On the 15th (Korean time), Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf and public broadcaster NOS reported, "Coach Hiddink has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently recovering," adding, "Patrick Kluivert (45), FC Barcelona Academy Director, who was asked by Coach Hiddink, will serve as the interim head coach of Cura?ao."

Coach Hiddink, who led South Korea to the semifinals in the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, took charge of the China U-23 national team preparing for the Tokyo Olympics in November 2018 but was dismissed in September 2019 due to poor performance.

In August last year, Hiddink was appointed head coach and technical director of the Cura?ao national football team, a Dutch territory, and challenged to secure a ticket to the 2022 Qatar World Cup finals. Ranked 76th by FIFA, Cura?ao has won two consecutive matches in Group C of the first round of the CONCACAF qualifiers for the Qatar World Cup, leading the group and aiming to advance to the second round.

Cura?ao is scheduled to play its third match of the first round against the British Virgin Islands on July 6 (Korean time), but with Coach Hiddink infected with COVID-19, preparing for the match has inevitably become difficult. Unable to lead the team during the A-match period, Coach Hiddink requested Director Kluivert to temporarily take charge of the national team, and FC Barcelona approved this.

The Cura?ao Football Association stated in a press release, "We wish Coach Hiddink a speedy recovery," and "We thank former coach Kluivert for taking charge of the national team."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.