March 24 : Suriname have had plenty of past interest in the World Cup but living vicariously through former colonial power the Netherlands will no longer be necessary if they can get through this week’s inter-confederation playoffs in Mexico.
Suriname, from where the likes of Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Clarence Seedorf have their roots, face Bolivia in Monterrey on Thursday, and a win would see them take on Iraq at the same venue on March 31 for a place at the World Cup finals alongside France, Norway and Senegal in Group I.
Suriname could have secured automatic qualification on the last match day of the CONCACAF qualifiers in November but defeat at Guatemala allowed Panama to edge them in their group.
A change to Suriname’s nationality laws allowing dual citizenship has boosted the team’s chances of a first World Cup qualification by including Dutch players with family links to the former colony at the top of South America.
Of the 26-man squad that travelled to Mexico, 22 were born in the Netherlands and one in Belgium. Two of the three Suriname-born players left for the Netherlands at an early age, meaning striker Gleofilo Vlijter is the only home-grown product.
Several members of the squad are former Dutch junior internationals, while Jean-Paul Boetius won a senior cap for the Netherlands but because it was in a friendly he was able to switch international allegiance.
Coach Henk ten Cate, formerly at Ajax Amsterdam, also has Suriname roots and will be in charge for the first time in Thursday’s game.
“It would really be a fantastic compliment for Dutch football training if we qualify,” Ten Cate told the Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad.
“Quite apart from the football celebrations that are going to erupt in all those communities this summer.
“And for the inhabitants of Suriname themselves, it would of course be a tremendous boost as well. I have been there often. The country and the people have not always had an easy time.”
Ten Cate is convinced his team have a chance.
“Otherwise, I would not have taken on the project,” he said.
“Suriname at the World Cup … it would be a dream come true. We are going for it.”
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
