Bonaire

Full Squad
vs. Jamaica (0:6) | Nations League 2019 | 2018 in Curacao

Bonaire is the smallest of the territories that are not FIFA members in the Caribbean, as just 25,000 people call the island their home. Yet, it is the best ranked team in the League B of the Caribbean Nations League and thus better placed than the two other non-FIFA teams in there, Saint Martin and Sint Maarten. That might sound a bit technical, but what I am trying to say is: Bonaire is tiny, but playing very respectable football! Recently, they have just lost narrowly (0:1 and 1:2) against El Salvador, a country with 6 million people.

That Bonaire is not a member of FIFA is, of course, absolutely arbitrary. There are territories in the Caribbean that have a lower degree of autonomy and self-governance and are much worse in football, but that are a full member of FIFA. The main reason for that is simple: At some time, Blatter needed more members to get their votes to remain president - and now the Caribbean local football don, Jack Warner, was just happy to provide such votes by bringing more and more territories in. Bonaire, apparently, did not move back then or simply did not pay Jack Warner enough to get in. Now, when Infantino is not relying on votes from the Caribbean anymore, FIFA wants to avoid splitting money with even more teams. Thus, they just changed the rules to keep those non-state territories in the Caribbean and Oceania, mostly, out. The previously bought-in territories, of course, do not have to fulfill these new rules now. If that makes no sense to you - it is because it makes no sense.

The shirt, as you can all see, is absolutely stunning. Essentially a flag shirt, which is always great, this one profits from the fantastic colour combination of the Bonaire flag. Having a white sash all over your shirt, seperating the blue and the yellow fields, just works well, too. While I believe that white shorts are a crime to wear to this kit, I absolutely dig it otherwise. That it is done by Robey Sport, a small Dutch company and thus totally speaking to my small-brands-kink makes it even better. I think I got this from Classic Football Shirts, where I am sure you can still get this.