Germany crushes Curaçao 7-1 in World Cup opener
Germany opened the 2026 World Cup in dominant fashion on Sunday night, beating Curaçao 7-1 in their first match of the tournament. The result was Germany’s biggest win of the competition so far and a strong early statement after doubts about how far the team could go. Curaçao, meanwhile, at least celebrated its first ever World Cup goal.
Germany went ahead in the 6th minute through Felix Nmecha, but Livano Comenencia stunned the favorites by equalizing in the 21st minute. Germany quickly regained control, with Nico Schlotterbeck scoring from a corner and Kai Havertz converting a penalty just before halftime to make it 3-1.
The second half began with another quick strike, as Jamal Musiala scored immediately after the restart. Nathaniel Brown then netted his first goal for the national team in the 68th minute, and substitute Deniz Undav added the sixth. Havertz completed his brace in the 88th minute to seal the 7-1 rout.
The match, played on Sunday and reported at 22:00 on 14 June 2026, gave Germany a powerful start to its World Cup campaign and underlined its status as a contender.
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