Curaçao manager Dick Advocaat has publicly slammed Middlesbrough‘s Sontje Hansen for refusing to join the national team during this international break.
Hansen, who has been on loan at Gaziantep FK since the summer, was born in the Netherlands. He represented them at U15-U21s, but not their senior team.
In September2025, the Middlesbrough player changed his allegiance to Curaçao and made his debut the following month. The winger played a part in helping them qualify for the World Cup for the first time.
The Championship side signed him from NEC Nijmegen for around £3.4m in August 2025 and he managed a goal from 510 minutes from 20 matches in his debut season.
Despite the limited role, Advocaat included the 24-year-old in his World Cup squad. He played 45 minutes in the 7-1 defeat to Germany and was an unused substitute in other two matches.
Middlesbrough man unhappy with World Cup role
Dick Advocaat has called up Sontje Hansen every time since he became eligible to play for Curaçao.
The attacker missed the squad for the first time this month and has reportedly refused to play for the national team until a different manager is in charge.
In his latest press conference, Advocaat was asked about the Middlesbrough player and Sportnieuws have relayed his comments. The manager didn’t hold back while being critical of Hansen.
He said: “Then you have to leave, because that is how it works in football.”
The former Rangers and Sunderland manager pins the blame on the player for not doing his best at the World Cup.
“He probably felt he should have played more, so he should have just done his best. It is his decision, so I don’t have much of a problem with that,” Advocaat explained.
| Every MIddlesbrough signing 26/27 | Previous Club | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Mathis Servais | KV Mechelen | £5.1m |
| Will Lankshear | Tottenham Hotspur | €11.70m |
| Ashley Phillips | Tottenham Hotspur | €8.20m |
| Radek Vítek | Manchester United | €8.15m |
| Max Arfsten | Columbus Crew | €6.50m |
| Rokas Pukštas | Hajduk Split | €5.00m |
| Kyle Joseph | Hull City | €4.70m |
| Jeremy Sarmiento | Brighton & Hove Albion | €3.70m |
| Sebastian Berhalter | Vancouver Whitecaps | €1.75m |
| Myles Peart-Harris | Oxford United | Free transfer |
| Sam Byram | Leeds United | Free transfer |
| Amario Cozier-Duberry | Brighton & Hove Albion | Loan |
| Connor Barron | Rangers | Loan |
Struggles continue in Turkey
Sontje Hansen had struggled for a prominent role at the Championship side in his debut season.
In May, he publicly expressed his desire to leave the English club in the summer. Boro let him join Gaziantep FK on loan in August, and he hasn’t impressed for his new club.
The Curaçao international has played 105 minutes from four matches and is yet to score or register an assist.
Gaziantep have secured a purchase option and are unlikely to exercise it as things stand. His contract at the Riverside Stadium runs until 2029.
