Germany thrash World Cup debutants Curaçao 7-1
Germany began their World Cup 2026 campaign with a 7-1 victory over tournament debutants Curaçao, who scored their first-ever World Cup goal but were outclassed by the German attack.
Germany opened their World Cup 2026 campaign with a dominant 7-1 victory over tournament debutants Curaçao on Sunday. The match, which saw Germany score seven goals, was a showcase of the team's attacking prowess. Felix Nmecha opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a composed volley from a Florian Wirtz cross. Curaçao responded with a historic equalizer in the 21st minute when Livano Comenencia pounced on a defensive mistake to score the Caribbean nation's first ever World Cup goal. However, Germany regained control before halftime. Nico Schlotterbeck powered in a header from a corner in the 38th minute, and Kai Havertz converted a penalty just before the break to make it 3-1. The second half was one-sided as Jamal Musiala scored two minutes after the restart, followed by goals from Nathaniel Brown (68th minute) and Deniz Undav (78th minute). Havertz completed his brace with a cheeky lob in the closing stages, catching goalkeeper Eloy Room off his line. Germany's coach Julian Nagelsmann was able to introduce substitutes including Leon Goretzka and Antonio Rüdiger. Despite the heavy defeat, Curaçao made history by scoring their first World Cup goal, a moment that will be remembered back home.
