Menzo on Suriname journey, World Cup target and Cruyff influence

During his storied career as a player and coach, Stanley Menzo has rubbed shoulders with greatness, experienced many dizzying highs and suffered some heartbreaking lows.

The most extraordinary moment could still be to come, however. The former Netherlands goalkeeper has returned to Suriname, the country of his birth, to lead the national team – and he is convinced a maiden FIFA World Cup™ qualification is within their grasp.

For a nation of around 630,000 people, this would represent a miraculous achievement: Iceland are the only country with a smaller population to have graced the sport’s flagship event.

Menzo’s side, however, are going strong in the second round of Concacaf qualifying for the 2026 tournament, where they sit top of their group with two victories from two.

“If there is a chance to reach the World Cup, it’s now,” Menzo tells FIFA. “We have a very good bunch of players. Also, the three countries hosting the World Cup [USA, Canada and Mexico] have already qualified, so we are not competing with them for places. There are three more World Cup spots available for the rest of us in Concacaf to fight for. It’s possible for us to make it.”

Menzo, who left Suriname aged six to move to the Netherlands, made his name as a player under Johan Cruyff at Ajax. As such, it is unsurprising to learn he favours a fluent, possession-based style of football, but he explained how he is open to adapting his approach.

“Where I come from, we like to dominate,” Menzo says. “We like to have the ball for a long time. We want to play nice football but if it’s not possible, then we’ll play ugly. As long as the results are there, that’s the most important thing. We want to make a statement.”

He has gone some way to achieving that goal since returning for his second stint as national team boss in March 2024.

Menzo – who previously had a spell in charge in 2022 – has praised Suriname general manager Brian Tevreden for “having the courage to bring me back and continue our journey”. Tevreden’s faith has been rewarded with a series of impressive results.

As well as winning their opening two World Cup 26 qualifiers, they have also reached the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Nations League, where they will face Canada in a two-legged tie in November. Suriname are currently 136th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – ۱۰۱ places below Canada – but will take confidence from a recent 1-1 draw with 43rd-placed Costa Rica.

“It will be a great for us to come up against [Alphonso] Davies and all those players from Canada,” says Menzo. “It’s a chance to see how far we’ve come.”

In Menzo, Suriname have a coach with significant experience in high-stakes matches. In 11 years at Ajax, he made more than 300 appearances and won the UEFA Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup as well as three league titles. He played six times for the senior Netherlands national team and, while he did not feature at the 1990 World Cup, he was part of the Dutch squad which reached the Round of 16 in Italy.

In goalkeeping terms, Menzo was ahead of his time. He was exceptional with the ball at his feet and, with the support of his legendary, pioneering Ajax coach, regularly utilised his passing range to build moves from the back.

“When I played on the streets as a kid, I was an outfield player about 70 per cent of the time,” he explains. “That’s how I developed both skills, with my feet and hands.

“As a professional, Johan Cruyff helped me a lot. He was a big reason I became who I did. He was always saying: ‘How often does a goalkeeper get the ball in his hands in the 90 minutes? Maybe for five minutes in total. You can use him with his feet more.’ For his goalkeeper, I think he actually wanted an outfield player with gloves!

“He was always, always thinking. For example, he hired a specialised goalkeeping coach for me at a time when that was not normal. But it was something in his mind. For him, football was 20 per cent what you do with the ball and the rest in your head. That’s something that will always stay with me – to try to always think ahead.”

While Menzo’s trophy-laden playing career featured many moments of celebration, there were also dark times, with the goalkeeper regularly the target for sickening racist abuse from crowds in the Netherlands. He was subjected to disgusting taunts, monkey chants and bananas were even thrown at him.

“My love for football was the only reason I survived,” he says. “It was the only thing I could fall back on. It was hard. At that time I was very sad, but thinking back now, I’m proud that I survived and I’m proud of what I was still able to achieve. It made me become the person I am.

“We still see racism now, and what I would say is not to let those people take away your love for football. It’s a great thing to enjoy and love this game. That love is what helped me stay in the sport.”

Indeed, since hanging up his gloves in 2002, Menzo has been in almost constant employment in football. He has coached clubs in the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa and China, as well as the Aruba and Suriname national teams.

“What I love about coaching is when you have something in your head, you show it to the team, then it shows on the pitch. It’s like I dream the dream and then it happens! When you have moments like that, it’s incredible.”

While he has primarily been a head coach, Menzo was also part of Marco van Basten’s staff during the legendary striker’s mid-2000s reign as Netherlands boss.

“Myself and Marco were always linked together,” Menzo explains. “We played together, we worked together. We actually joined Ajax at the same time, at Under-19 level. I was very proud when he asked me to be his goalkeeping coach with the national team.

“His thinking was a little bit like Cruyff’s, thinking one step ahead. As a coach, I think at times it was difficult for him to understand people couldn’t think like he did or do the things he could. He was such a great player, of course. It was great experience for me to go to the World Cup with him in 2006. He is another special person.”

Menzo is now intent on returning to the global finals in 2026 with Suriname.

Along with the likes of Aron Winter, Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf, Menzo was one of a host of stars born in the country who went on to represent the Netherlands. The nations have inextricable historical and cultural links, with Suriname a former Dutch colony which gained independence in 1975.

Today, Menzo’s squad has a strong Dutch influence and includes several players who were born in the Netherlands.

“In the past, not every player [with dual nationality] thought about playing for Suriname,” he says. “Now, players have seen that we have made big steps. The team is improving and our organisation is improving. They have got excited by that and they want to join the team.

“I must give credit to Brian [Tevreden], our general manager, who is doing so much great work in the background to get these players to Suriname. These guys have the Surinamese background: they want to be here and they are proud to be here. They are not coming here for fun – they are coming because they want to achieve something.”

More than half-a-century after leaving Suriname as a six-year-old boy, Menzo is eager to give something back to the nation’s people.

“Suriname is a very nice country, with a lot of nature, but economically it is not so good at the moment. People are still living their lives, trying to enjoy life, but football can give them that extra pride. I would love to be able to do that for them. If I can take Suriname to the World Cup, it would be great. I think then I could retire!”