Nagelsmann praises Curacao's courage after Germany's dominant World Cup debut win

Germany launched their 2026 World Cup campaign with a resounding 7-1 victory over Curacao in Houston. Coach Julian Nagelsmann praised his team's performance, particularly their strong start and ability to react to unexpected moments in the match.

"It was a great start, the first 15 minutes were excellent and I think we could have scored more," Nagelsmann said after the game. He acknowledged that the scoreline was unexpected but was pleased with the team's response. Germany's goals came from Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz (twice), Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, and Deniz Undav, placing them in a strong position in Group E.

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It was a great start, the first 15 minutes were excellent and I think we could have scored more. The draw was unexpected, and it was good to see the team's reaction. Curacao played better than people expected in Germany, they played with courage.

Despite the lopsided score, Curacao achieved a historic milestone by scoring their first-ever World Cup goal, netted by Livano Comenencia. This moment, though overshadowed by the defeat, marked a significant achievement for the debutant Caribbean team. Coach Dick Advocaat noted that his team had "nothing to be ashamed about" following their World Cup debut.

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It was nothing to be ashamed of.