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Germany Begin World Cup Campaign in Style with 7-1 Rout of Curacao
Kai Havertz netted a brace as Germany overwhelmed Curacao 7-1, recording their first opening-match World Cup win since 2014.
Germany delivered one of the most convincing performances of the opening round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, thrashing Curacao 7-1 in Houston to launch their Group E campaign in emphatic fashion.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side recovered from a brief scare to secure their biggest opening-match World Cup victory in years and record their first winning start to the tournament since 2014.
Felix Nmecha put Germany ahead inside six minutes with a brilliant curling effort, but Curacao levelled through Livano Comenencia after a deflected shot wrong-footed goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
The equaliser briefly raised hopes of a shock result, but Germany soon reasserted their dominance.
Nico Schlotterbeck restored the lead with a header before Kai Havertz converted a penalty to give the Germans a 3-1 halftime advantage.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Germany overwhelming the Caribbean side through goals from Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and substitute Deniz Undav.
Havertz then completed his brace late on to cap a memorable evening for the four-time world champions.
Brown, who scored his maiden goal for Germany, admitted the occasion was special.
“It is indescribable.
“To score in the first World Cup match, my family is there, then to celebrate with the guys — simply incredible.”
Germany’s performance was particularly encouraging after recent World Cup disappointments, having failed to advance beyond the group stage in the previous two editions of the tournament.
Despite Curacao’s spirited start and determined defending, the gulf in quality eventually proved too much to overcome.
The result puts Germany in a strong early position in Group E ahead of upcoming clashes with Ecuador and African champions Ivory Coast, who are expected to provide sterner opposition.
For Curacao, meanwhile, the defeat was a harsh introduction to life on football’s biggest stage, although their historic first World Cup goal will remain a memorable moment in the nation’s football history.
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