Dick Advocaat said World Cup minnows Curacao had given "unprecedented joy" to the people of the small Caribbean island but tempered expectations on the eve of their clash against Ecuador.
Curacao, 83rd in the FIFA rankings, were swept aside 7-1 by Germany in their opening Group E game in Houston, giving them a mountain to climb to reach the knockout phase.
Next they face an Ecuador team who finished second to defending champions Argentina in South American qualifying and are ranked 54 places higher.
"When you still see the joy of those people, that is unprecedented and not everyone has realised that yet," Dutch coach Advocaat, 78, said ahead of Saturday's match in Kansas City.
"Unprecedented that we get to participate in such a big tournament. They will never forget this for the rest of their lives.
"And it will probably never happen again. So in that regard, let's be proud that we made it. And let's try, as a team, to show up a bit better than we did against Germany. But that will again be a very difficult match."
Advocaat, the oldest coach in World Cup history, called for a dose of realism despite the hype surrounding his team, who come from the smallest country by population ever to play on football's biggest stage.
"We want it very badly, but you're playing against teams of higher quality than yourselves," he said.
"You can compensate for that a little by working a bit harder, playing a bit sharper, playing a bit more compact. We'll try to do that tomorrow, but we're playing against another excellent team. This is simply one of the toughest groups."
The much-travelled Advocaat is back at the helm with Curacao after he stepped down in February because of his daughter's health.
The Dutchman, who has previously managed the Netherlands and South Korea at the World Cup, was first appointed as Curacao boss in 2024 and recalled tough days.
"We had no money to fly, the coaches had to pay for the flights themselves, and also what you normally have with a national team, the facilities that belong to such a team, that wasn't there," he said.
"So much has changed to the benefit of the island, to the benefit of the squad, and hopefully they can continue that, because that's what it's about now."
Advocaat added: "They end up in stadiums they normally drive past. Now they get to play there – a wonderful experience."
Curacao will face Ivory Coast in their final group game on June 25.
--------------------------------
Where to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™
Fans can watch every FIFA World Cup 2026™ match live on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access. All matches are also available to stream on supported packages, ensuring flexible viewing options wherever you are.
How to stream the FIFA World Cup 2026™
With DStv Stream, you can follow every match anytime, anywhere. Download the app and enjoy seamless live streaming on the go.