Rotherham United's Ar'Jany Martha says mum's the word behind his World Cup dream
Last year, Ar'Jany Martha had a choice: try to play for the country of his birth, who capped him at under-15, -16 and -17 level, or transfer allegiances to his parent's country. Having done as his mother told him the Rotherham United forward can watch Friday’s World Cup draw full of excitement about what the summer holds for him.
"It's every boy's dream to qualify for a World Cup and go to play there," he says. "I feel great."
For Curacao, with a population roughly the size of York, to qualify for the World Cup is ridiculous. Last month they became the smallest country either by the number of people or land mass (less than the Isle of Man) ever to do so.
Curacao is to the Netherlands a bit like what Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland were to England, full of players born in the bigger country.
The likes of Juninho and Leandro Bacuna had a choice between Curacao and the Netherlands, but Rotterdam-born Martha – a product of Ajax's academy – had his made for him in 2024.
"First it was my agent who was talking about it," reveals the 22-year-old. "I was thinking about it every day and then my mum said to me, 'Just go!'
"I always listen my mother! The mother's instincts are always right so the moment she told me, I said, 'Okay, I'm going to do it.'
"My parents are from Curacao. Since I was three years-old I went on vacation there to visit family.
"When I was in the first team at Ajax I was looking at what was best for me and waiting for the Dutch squad to call me up or go to Curacao.
"We went to Turkey for a training camp (with Curacao in 2024) for a week and it felt like one big family."
Curacao went into November's international break as outsiders to qualify until Jamaica – coached by York-born Steve McClaren – dropped two points against Dwight Yorke's Trinidad and Tobago.
It sent Curacao, 7-0 winners over Bermuda with Martha scoring his first international goal, to Kingston knowing a draw would suffice.
They got it – just – the Reggae Boyz hitting the woodwork three times and having a late penalty overturned by the video assistant referee.
The 0-0 draw meant, all being well, Martha will be the first current Rotherham player to appear in a World Cup next June/July.
"It's big for the club," he smiles. "I didn't even realise so I'm proud. Everybody around me is proud too."
Asked when he thought reaching the World Cup could happen, he replies: "The moment we arrived in Jamaica's stadium.
"I couldn't believe we could have this opportunity. I still cannot believe we've qualified.
"I had butterflies in my belly. I was feeling a lot of tension.
"After the game we went back to Curacao and they honoured us. It was like coming home – everybody's happy for you, everybody's cheering.
"It's a small island. I've never seen so many people there."
Given the romance behind their story, Curacao will be many fans' second team at the World Cup.
"I'm not sure, but maybe when they see us play," says Martha.
"We play the Dutch school, just building up, playing through the defenders. We have good players.
"It just made me happy to see that my family and my friends around me are happy and people are behind us in Curacao and the Netherlands."
But Curacao have more than romance on their side.
In Dick Advocaat they have a serious coach. As well as winning titles in the Netherlands (PSV), Russia (Zenit St Petersburg) and Scotland (Rangers), he has led the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Russia, Belgium, Serbia and Iraq plus his native Netherlands three times and their women's team. At 78 he will blow 71-year-old Otto Rehhagel (Greece, 2010) out of the water as the World Cup's oldest manager.
"He's a chilled coach, I like to be around him," says Martha. "It's a good connection between us, a good connection with everyone.
"When he is explaining everything, you know what to do. He's not a soft coach, he's direct and that's what I like. He's doing a great job."
But the job is not yet done for Martha, who has a fight on – including with Sheffield United's Tahith Chong and Middlesbrough's Sontje Hansen – to make the starting XI.
"I'm working on it every day and talking to the coach," says Martha. "He knows I've got a bright future, he told me that. I'm just waiting for my turn to show myself."
It goes without saying who Martha and co would like in the draw at Washington's Kennedy Center.
"I hope we play against the Netherlands," he says. "That would be crazy because we've got a lot of Dutch(-born) players who played in the Netherlands and we want to show them how good we are and what a team we are. We like fighting every single game"
Whoever they play, be it in America, Mexico or Canada, the tables will be turned on his mum, who will be in the stands.
"The whole family's going," insists Martha. "They've got no choice!"