KUCHING: Germany delivered the first major statement at the FIFA World Cup, thrashing debutants Curaçao 7–1 in Group E to record the biggest win in the 2026 edition of the tournament.
The four-time champions rediscovered their attacking swagger and eased concerns over their recent World Cup struggles after failing to progress beyond the group stage in the last two editions.
Felix Nmecha handed Germany the perfect start when he slotted past Eloy Room after just six minutes, scoring the fastest goal of the tournament so far.
However, Curaçao briefly threatened to spoil the script when Livano Comenenia struck on the counter-attack midway through the first half, with his deflected effort beating Manuel Neuer to level the scores.
Any hopes of a shock result were quickly extinguished.
Nico Schlotterbeck restored Germany’s lead with a well-placed header before Kai Havertz converted from the penalty spot to give his side a comfortable 3–1 advantage heading into the break.
Germany needed only 90 seconds after the restart to tighten their grip on the contest as Jamal Musiala added a fourth with a composed finish.
Nathaniel Brown then celebrated his first international goal before substitute Deniz Undav came off the bench to add a sixth as the European giants turned the match into a one-sided affair.
Havertz completed the rout with his second goal of the night, tapping home Germany’s seventh to cap a dominant opening display.
While Curaçao can take pride in scoring their first-ever World Cup goal on their tournament debut, Germany’s performance served as an early reminder of the attacking quality that once made them one of world football’s most feared sides.
With tougher tests still to come, the result nevertheless sends a clear message to their Group E rivals that Germany could once again be a force to be reckoned with on football’s biggest stage.
