Curaçao startled Germany, which then thrashed it

Germany began its World Cup 2026 campaign with a resounding 7-1 victory over debutants Curaçao, though the scoreline doesn't fully reflect a period of unexpected tension. The German squad, aiming to avoid the early exits of recent tournaments, initially struggled to put the game beyond doubt.

Despite Germany opening the scoring in the sixth minute through Lukas Nmecha, Curaçao, the smallest nation ever to compete in a World Cup, made history in the 18th minute. Livano Comenencia netted Curaçao's first-ever World Cup goal, a moment that briefly silenced the German team and evoked memories of their past tournament failures.

However, Germany quickly regained control. Nico Schlotterbeck's header in the 38th minute restored their lead, and Kai Havertz converted a penalty just before halftime, making it 3-1. In the second half, Germany's dominance was absolute, with the final score reaching 7-1.

While the victory is a strong start, particularly after their group stage exits in 2018 and 2022, the team faces tougher challenges ahead. Matches against Ivory Coast and Ecuador will provide a more accurate measure of Germany's ambitions in the tournament.

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The match ended with a score of 7-1.