Kerk: Suriname will come back stronger
Suriname players Gyrano Kerk and Joel Piroe speak about the team's bright future despite their play-off defeat to Bolivia.
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ dream is over for Suriname, but their future remains very bright. The Concacaf side came within a whisker of reaching the global finals both in qualifying and a semi-final finish in the Play-Off Tournament.
With a squad boasting many young players eager to deliver a first World Cup qualification, Suriname will be one to watch in the cycle for 2030.
“We all have a big future ahead of us,” said 26-year-old striker Joel Piroe to FIFA. “Coming into the game, everyone spoke a lot about how we hadn’t spent a lot of time together. I think now we will spend more time with each other and I believe this team will be better.”
A Natio held a 1-0 lead in the second half of Thursday’s contest with Bolivia at Monterrey Stadium, only to see it slip through their fingers and end in a 2-1 defeat. Centre-back Gyrano Kerk was left frustrated by the second half letdown, but maintained positivity despite the disappointment.
“It’s very emotional, I’m trying to stay relaxed, but on the inside I am dying because this was a big chance,” said Kerk. “We did well until the 60th minute and then everything fell apart when they scored the first goal, but we have to be positive. We put Suriname on the map, people know us now and we will come back stronger for sure.”