Aruban government officials, including Minister Gerlien Croes and Minister Wendrick Cicilia, attended a football match in Curaçao on Saturday to support the national team. The event took place at SDK Stadium, where the Aruban selection faced off against the Curaçao team.
Minister of Sport Gerlien Croes addressed the gathering, expressing satisfaction and pride regarding the match between the two islands. She highlighted the significance of Aruba being selected to play against Curaçao before the latter departs for the World Cup. Croes noted that this event serves as a platform to showcase talent and demonstrate capabilities to the rest of the world. She extended her congratulations to Curaçao and stressed the importance of maintaining unity between the islands through football and other shared activities.
Minister of Tourism Wendrick Cicilia also commented on the experience, describing the atmosphere as a unique moment. He explained that facing a team heading to the World Cup provided a significant opportunity for the Aruban selection to test their skills against a higher-level opponent. Cicilia remarked that the full stadium and the community gathering for a single purpose demonstrated the unifying force of sports. He characterized sports as a “nation building” project, stating that the government is proud to support both the Aruban team and regional neighbors.
