Germany’s national football team kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a resounding 7-1 victory over Curaçao in their opening Group E match.
The historic fixture, played in front of a sell-out crowd of over 68,000 fans in Houston, marked Curaçao’s first-ever appearance in a World Cup tournament—a debut that ultimately ended in a heartbreaking defeat against the clinical Die Mannschaft.
Advocaat’s Record and a Brief Curaçao Shock
As the opening whistle blew, Curaçao’s head coach, Dick Advocaat, officially made history as the oldest manager in World Cup history, breaking the record at over 78 years old.
The Germans wasted no time, with Felix Nmecha opening the scoring in the 6th minute. However, Curaçao shocked the stadium in the 21st minute when Livano Comenencia scored a stunning equalizer. While Germany dominated possession, Curaçao remained a stubborn opponent until the 38th minute, when Nico Schlotterbeck restored the German lead with a powerful header.
The Second-Half Collapse
The floodgates opened just before half-time when Kai Havertz converted a penalty in the 45th minute to make it 3-1.
Just seconds into the second half, Jamal Musiala netted Germany’s fourth. The relentless German attack continued as Nathaniel Brown made it 5-1 in the 68th minute, followed by substitute Deniz Undav scoring the sixth in the 78th minute. Kai Havertz then capped off his brilliant performance by sealing his brace and Germany’s 7th goal in the 88th minute.
A Historic Milestone for Die Mannschaft
This 7-1 demolition stands as Germany’s second-largest opening-match victory in World Cup history, trailing only their legendary 8-0 triumph over Saudi Arabia during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
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— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) June 14, 2026
