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World Cup 2026: Germany hammer Curacao, but the minnows still had their moment in history

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Contents hide
  1. 1 The Mannschaft did not wobble for long
  2. 2 Nmecha opens the door, Germany walk through it
  3. 3 Comenencia gives Curaçao a piece of history
  4. 4 The illusion lasted 10 minutes, no more
  5. 5 Musiala kills it as soon as the restart comes
  6. 6 Brown, the surprise man of the match
  7. 7 Kimmich leads, Schlotterbeck steady, Tah less convincing
  8. 8 Sané frustrates, Havertz scores twice but doesn’t fully convince
  9. 9 Curaçao eventually buckled physically and mentally
  10. 10 A 7-1 win that launches Germany and writes Curaçao into the record books

The Mannschaft did not wobble for long

Curaçao had a story to tell. Germany had a reputation to protect. In Houston, on their opening night at the 2026 World Cup, the Mannschaft quickly reminded everyone that fairy tales tend to be short when they run into a side built like a machine — heavy, powerful, ruthlessly organised.

7-1. A rout. A statement. A commanding start for the four-time world champions, who go top of Group E and open their tournament with the kind of scoreline that sticks in the mind.

But this was not just a hammering. For a few minutes, Curaçao allowed itself to dream. Better still, Curaçao scored the first World Cup goal in its history — a moment of pure collective memory, even if reality came crashing back not long after.

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Nmecha opens the door, Germany walk through it

The tone was set early. On 6 minutes, Felix Nmecha broke the deadlock with a crisp finish, as if to make it clear Germany were not in the mood to let doubt creep in. The Dortmund midfielder was one of the main drivers of the first half: tidy in possession, active without the ball, and vertical whenever a line needed breaking.

At that stage, Curaçao looked close to cracking. Spaces opened up, the German waves kept coming, and Leroy Sané could have killed the contest early had he shown more sharpness in front of goal. The winger wasted chances, often with a maddening lack of urgency in the final third.

After 10 minutes, 3-0 would not have raised an eyebrow.

But Curaçao kept going.

Comenencia gives Curaçao a piece of history

On 21 minutes, Livano Comenencia changed the night for his country. When Germany failed to clear properly, the Zurich player finished neatly with his left foot to make it 1-1. Curaçao’s first ever World Cup goal.

Moments like that outlast the final score. They live on in archives, on phones, in living rooms, in streets, in the imagination of a nation taking its first steps on football’s biggest stage. For a few seconds, Curaçao was not just the underdog. Curaçao had Germany rattled.

Comenencia kept battling too — throwing himself into tackles, full of effort and bite. He was one of the few genuine bright spots for his side.

The illusion lasted 10 minutes, no more

The trouble against a team like Germany is that emotion only carries you so far. After the equaliser, Curaçao briefly found some belief, but the Mannschaft soon took control again. More possession, more pressure, more corners, more bodies in the box.

On 38 minutes, Nico Schlotterbeck put Germany back in front with a header from Nathaniel Brown’s corner. The Dortmund defender rose above everyone and powered home an unstoppable effort. 2-1.

Then, just before half-time, Kai Havertz converted a penalty after a clumsy challenge from Bazoer. 3-1 on 45+5. At that point, the contest had tipped for good.

Curaçao had gone from a living dream to a mountain far too steep to climb.

Musiala kills it as soon as the restart comes

Barely a minute after the break, Jamal Musiala made it four for Germany, finishing from a perfect Joshua Kimmich pass. 4-1. Game over.

Musiala was among the most dangerous players on the pitch all night — his bursts, his willingness to take defenders on, his understanding with Wirtz and his work in the press. He lost the ball a few times, but always looked capable of making something happen with a single touch.

When a player like that scores straight after the restart, the other side knows the second half is going to be a long one.

Brown, the surprise man of the match

Nathaniel Brown turned in a complete performance. Starting on the left and tipped to be Bayern Munich-bound, he showed exactly what a modern full-back looks like in a one-sided game: defensive focus, clean technique, constant movement, quality delivery and real attacking intent.

His corner for Schlotterbeck put Germany back ahead. His goal on 68 minutes capped an evening of relentless energy. A first Mannschaft goal, and a proper impression made on his World Cup debut.

On a night when Musiala, Kimmich, Nmecha and Schlotterbeck all made their mark, Brown was the clearest sign of a Germany that can hurt you all over the pitch.

Kimmich leads, Schlotterbeck steady, Tah less convincing

Joshua Kimmich was once again the chief organiser. Two assists, calm distribution, quiet authority and the ability to raise the tempo without ever looking rattled. A captain’s performance, even if he wasn’t wearing the armband.

Schlotterbeck covered for the doubts left by Jonathan Tah. The Dortmund defender scored, won his duels, broke lines and looked composed throughout. Tah, by contrast, had a rough first half — especially for Curaçao’s equaliser, when he looked flat-footed and behind the play. He settled after the break, but the overall impression was mixed.

At a World Cup, even a 7-1 win can leave a few loose ends.

Sané frustrates, Havertz scores twice but doesn’t fully convince

Not everything was perfect for Germany. Leroy Sané produced a frustrating shift. Too many turnovers, too many unnecessary touches, too many chances wasted. In a team that scored seven, he still managed to leave with a negative feel around his performance. Not ideal for a player expected to decide big matches.

Kai Havertz finished with two goals — one from the spot before the break and a smart lob late on. On the scoresheet, it’s clean enough. In terms of overall performance, less so. The Arsenal forward often looked disconnected, sometimes anonymous, sometimes a touch too casual. His goals rescue the numbers, but they don’t wash away an uneven display.

Deniz Undav, who came on in the second half, also scored and provided an assist — a neat reminder that he is very much part of the mix.

Curaçao eventually buckled physically and mentally

After 4-1, the match became one long survival exercise for Curaçao. Goalkeeper Room was constantly called into action, rarely helped by a defence that had been overrun. Bazoer had a miserable night, from conceding the penalty to losing his markers in a brutal last quarter. Obispo, Fonville and Floranus also struggled to cope with Germany’s rotations, runs in behind and relentless pressure.

In midfield, the Bacuna brothers ran hard but never managed to influence proceedings. Chong tried to get on the ball but mostly had to defend. Up front, Locadia and Hansen pressed and occasionally hassled, but rarely threatened.

Curaçao had heart. Just not enough collective strength to hold out for 90 minutes.

A 7-1 win that launches Germany and writes Curaçao into the record books

The scoreline is brutal. But it tells two stories at once.

First: Germany look ready. Not perfect, but serious, powerful and already capable of putting teams away that are simply not at their level. With Kimmich, Musiala, Nmecha, Brown and real depth in attack, the Mannschaft have delivered an early warning in Group E.

Second: Curaçao lost, but their World Cup already has one immortal moment. That Comenencia goal on 21 minutes, that wild equaliser against Germany, those few minutes when the dream actually felt alive.

The mountain was too high. Far too high.

But for Curaçao, the story has still begun.

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