India, May 13 -- World Cup debutant Curacao parted company with coach Fred Rutten amid reports Dutch veteran Dick Advocaat is returning to the team he led through qualifying.

The uncertainty around the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for a men's World Cup comes less than five weeks before a testing opening game against Germany in Houston.

Rutten took the job in February after the 78-year-old Advocaat stepped down citing his daughter's health issues.

Under Rutten, the team lost two warmup games in March - against Australia and China, both in Australia - with players reportedly wanting Advocaat back.

"I regret how things unfolded but I wish everyone the best," Rutten said in a statement posted by the Curacao soccer federat...