WILLIAMSPORT – Curaçao has made history on the biggest stage of youth baseball, defeating Nevada 11-2 on Sunday to capture the Little League World Series championship in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The victory crowned an extraordinary tournament for the young players representing the small Caribbean island, who entered the championship game after winning the International Championship and then delivered another commanding performance when the world title was on the line.
Curaçao took control of the game and never allowed Nevada to overcome the deficit, eventually securing the championship with an emphatic 11-2 final score.
The final out triggered celebrations among the Curaçao players, coaches, families and supporters, while thousands of kilometers away an entire island celebrated an achievement that will become part of Curaçao’s sporting history.
The championship capped a remarkable run in Williamsport and once again demonstrated Curaçao’s extraordinary ability to produce baseball talent despite its population of only around 150,000.
Curaçao had already secured its place in Sunday’s World Championship Game by winning the International Championship on Saturday. That victory set up the final showdown against Nevada, which emerged from the U.S. side of the tournament.
The Curaçao team entered the final carrying the support of an island that had followed its journey throughout the tournament. As the team advanced deeper into the competition, excitement grew at home and across the Curaçao diaspora.
Sunday’s 11-2 victory turned that excitement into a celebration of a world championship.
Nevada also earned recognition for an impressive tournament and for the sportsmanship shown during the championship game.
For Curaçao, however, Sunday belonged to a group of young baseball players who carried the island’s flag onto one of the most recognizable stages in international youth sports and returned with the ultimate prize.
From Curaçao to Williamsport, the message after the final out was unmistakable: the Little League World Series trophy belongs to Curaçao.
Curaçao is world champion.