A number of current Everton players have all booked their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the past few international breaks – but one former defender who used to play for the Toffees is now set to play a part in World Cup history.
The likes of current club stars Jordan Pickford, Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye have all seen their nations qualify, and as regulars in their respective national team squads, there is a good chance that Everton will be represented on the big stage.
Elsewhere, Irish duo Seamus Coleman and Jake O’Brien could still qualify alongside proposed Everton target Troy Parrott after the latter’s hat-trick put them into the play-offs, while Vitaliy Mykolenko, Jack Grealish, Jarrad Branthwaite and James Garner will all be vying for a place.
But it’s former cult hero of sorts in Cuco Martina who will steal the headlines worldwide – after his nation, Curacao, qualified for their first-ever World Cup as the smallest nation in the competition’s history by population and size.
Cuco Martina playing for Everton vs Arsenal in the Premier League
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Curacao qualifying for the 2026 World Cup means that Cuco Martina could be a record-breaker
Amidst all of the hype around Scotland and Ireland’s late winners on the World Cup qualifying stage, Curacao have gone under the radar as they went on to qualify for the Finals in the summer.
Wins over Bermuda and Jamaica at home, as well as a 7-0 thrashing away at Bermuda and a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago at home, meant that they needed to avoid defeat away to Jamaica to qualify for the tournament.
And that they did. Despite Jamaica boasting the likes of Premier League stalwarts Isaac Hayden, Ethan Pinnock, Bobby Decordova-Reid and former Everton man Demarai Gray, alongside another former Toffees in Mason Holgate being on the bench, Curacao held out for a draw.
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As of 2024, the population of the island – which is just off the coast of Venezuela – is 155,000. That is around half of what Iceland’s was when they qualified for the 2018 World Cup.
Although Martina wasn’t in the squad this time around, he was called up in June and with experience needed at the World Cup, he stands a good chance of being called up.
Cuco Martina wasn’t great for Everton but he remains a recognised name during an era of change
Martina is just one game from being Curacao’s leading all-time capped player, with 67 – slightly behind former Aston Villa star Leandro Bacuna.
Despite being a Curacao legend, Martina is not quite at that level on Merseyside. However, he is a slight cult hero at Everton after joining the club in 2017 under Ronald Koeman.
Despite signing a three-year contract, Martina only played 28 games for Everton as they finished eighth in the Premier League.
Competition Appearances Starts
Premier League 21 20
FA Cup 1 1
Carabao Cup 0 0
Europa League 6 6
Cuco Martina’s appearances for Everton in 2017/18
Loan spells at Stoke City and Feyenoord transpired, before he moved back to the Netherlands.
Known for his outstanding goal for Southampton vs Arsenal in December 2015, Martina is a name that Evertonians will remember in a period of change under Farhad Moshiri – and he would be Curacao’s oldest outfield player.