Who is Dick Advocaat? Oldest manager at FIFA World Cup history with a CV boasting 45 years of coaching experience

Dick Advocaat became the oldest coach in the history of the FIFA World Cups when Curacao took the field at the Houston Stadium in Texas in a Group E clash against former champions Germany on Sunday. Not to forget, Curacao are also making their FIFA World Cup debut on the day.

Born in 1947, the Dutch national Advocaat is currently at 78 years and 260 days, thereby surpassing the previous record set by South African coach Hugo Broos earlier in the 2026 edition, who is 74.

A former footballer himself, Advocaat played as a defensive midfielder during his haydays. However, he didn't get a chance to play for the Netherlands national team and plied his trade mostly for Dutch clubs. He has also played in America and had a short stint in Belgium as well.

Jaap recommended Dick for the job. Advocaat managed DSVP for the last four years of his playing career, and helped the side get promoted thrice in Dutch football league, also achieved a 67-match unbeaten streak.

Since then, there has been no looking back for Advocaat, who went on to coach as many as 28 teams in club and international level combined in his 45-year career. Among the top clubs Advocaat managed are Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven, Rangers, Sunderland and Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Talking about international teams Advocaat coached the men's and women's teams of the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Belgium, Russia, Serbia, and Iraq before taking charge of Curacao. This is not the first time Advocaat is coaching at a FIFA World Cup.

His made his FIFA World Cup debut as a coach in 1994, guiding the Netherlands to a quarterfinal finish where the Dutch lost to eventual winners Brazil. He returned to FIFA World Cup in 2006, this time with South Korea, and couldn't go beyond the group stage.

However, with just four months to go for the FIFA World Cup 2026, Advocaat stepped down to be beside her ailing daughter, facing health issues. Curacao appointed Fred Rutten as a replacement. But Rutten's appointment didn't go well with the Curacao players.

Rutten quit after just two games in charge, with the Curacao Football Association urging Advocaat to return at this crucial juncture. Seeing improvement on her daughter's health, Advocaat accepted to return.

On Sunday, Advocaat will be up against Germany's Julian Nagelsmann, who is the youngest in FIFA World Cup 2026. In fact, the age gap between Advocaat and Nagelsmann is 39 years and 299 days - the largest between two head coaches facing each other in a FIFA World Cup.

“He's a young coach, young and famous,” Advocaat told reporters about Nagelsmann on the eve of the game. "To already become the coach of the national team, you must have something special, and he has that. We will make life very difficult for him, at least that's what we try. But he's an excellent coach," added the Dutchman.