Four-time champions Germany produced the biggest win of the FIFA World Cup 2026 so far, thrashing tournament debutants Curaçao 7-1 in a dominant Group E opener to underline their title ambitions.
The Germans wasted little time asserting their superiority, taking the lead through Felix Nmecha before Curaçao briefly stunned the former world champions with an equaliser from Livano Comenencia, the Caribbean nation’s first-ever goal at a FIFA World Cup.
Any hopes of a fairytale result for the debutants quickly faded as Germany responded in emphatic fashion. Nico Schlotterbeck restored the lead before Arsenal forward Kai Havertz converted a penalty to give his side a comfortable halftime advantage.
Germany returned from the break with even greater intensity. Jamal Musiala added a fourth goal before Nathaniel Brown and substitute Deniz Undav got on the scoresheet. Havertz then completed his brace from another penalty to seal a crushing victory and cap a memorable evening for Julian Nagelsmann’s side.
The seven-goal haul is the highest by any team at the tournament so far and sends a strong warning to Germany’s Group E rivals. The 2014 world champions combined clinical finishing with fluid attacking football to move to the top of the group standings.
Despite the heavy defeat, Curaçao can still take pride in a historic milestone. The Dutch Caribbean nation is making its first appearance at the FIFA World Cup and celebrated its maiden goal on football’s biggest stage through Comenencia.
Germany’s remaining Group E opponents are Ivory Coast and Ecuador, while Curaçao will look to recover quickly as they continue their historic World Cup journey against the same rivals.
For Germany, however, the statement has already been made. In a tournament expected to be fiercely contested, the European giants have become the first team to truly announce themselves, delivering a seven-goal masterclass that has set the early benchmark for the rest of the field.
By: Christian Kpesese
