Kluivert steps in as Curacao coach after Hiddink tests positive for Covid-19

이영호 / 2021-05-15 15:34:03

▲ This photo shows Curacao football couch, Guus Hiddink, who recently tested positive for COVID-19. [EPA=Yonhap News]

Seoul, May 15 (Yonhap) -- The 74-year-old Curacao national football coach Guus Hiddink has put down his baton for a while after contracting the corona virus.

De Telegraaf, a Dutch daily morning newspaper and Netherlands Public Broadcasting system, NOS, reported on the 15th (KST), "Hiddink has been tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently recovering. Patrick Kluivert (45), current director of FC Barcelona Academy, was asked by Hiddink to take the temporary place as the coach of Curacao."

Hiddink, who led South Korea to the semifinals at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, took the helm of the Chinese U-23 national team in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics in November 2018, but was sacked in September 2019 due to poor results.

Despite his old age, Hiddink took the helm and technical chairman of the Dutch Curacao national football team in August last year, challenging to secure tickets to the 2022 Qatar World Cup finals.

Curacao, ranked 76th in the FIFA rankings, is aiming to advance to the second qualifying round by winning two consecutive matches in Group C of the first qualifying round of the Qatar World Cup.

Curacao is set to play the third leg of the first qualifying round against British Virgin Island on June 6th (KST).

Hiddink asked Kluivert to temporarily take charge of the national team, which the Barcelona club agreed to.

Barcelona legend Kluivert also coached the Curacao national team between 2015 and 2017.

"We wish Hiddink a speedy recovery," the Curacao Football Association said in a statement. "We thank Kluivert for taking charge of the national team.