Germany Make Their Mark on the World, but Curacao Steal the Spotlight
There are World Cup matches decided by fine margins—deflections, disputed calls, late heartbreaks. Then there are afternoons like this one in Houston, where the result was settled somewhere around the hour mark and the real story had already been written long before the final whistle. In this setting, Germany opened their 2026 campaign with a crushing 7-1 dismantling of debutants Curacao on Sunday, a performance that confirmed the four-time champions as genuine title contenders. Yet, inside Houston Stadium, and among 68,021 witnesses to history, the loudest, most joyful eruption of noise came not for any of Germany's seven goals, but from a tiny Caribbean island that most of the football world had never expected to see here at all. Curacao, home to roughly 160,000 people and now the smallest country to play in a World Cup, had already shattered expectations by qualifying. When defender Livano Comenencia’s shot in the 21st minute caromed over Manuel Neuer to level the match at 1-1, Curacao’s fans in Texas erupted with unfiltered joy. Though Germany soon dominated, that moment belonged to the underdogs. Felix Nmecha put Germany ahead after six minutes — the fastest goal of this tournament — combining with Florian Wirtz before finishing into the far corner. Curacao, using coach Dick Advocaat's strategy to absorb and counter, found a moment through Comenencia's deflected strike from around 15 metres, briefly silencing the German supporters. It was a brief but memorable moment. However, Germany quickly regained control, and by the 38th minute, Nico Schlotterbeck scored with a header. Kai Havertz added a penalty just before halftime, and soon after the break, Jamal Musiala finished a great pass from Joshua Kimmich to make it 4-1. By then, the outcome was clear. Nathaniel Brown, in his first World Cup, scored with a calm volley. Substitute Deniz Undav added a sixth goal. Havertz scored his second late on. Seven goals scored, one conceded. Germany got the job done. **THE GHOST OF BELO HORIZONTE** That scoreline brings back memories: Germany 7, Curacao 1. Twelve years ago in Brazil, Germany beat Brazil 7-1 in a semi-final that changed how people talk about football defeats. Of course, that night in Belo Horizonte was a painful moment for Brazil, while Sunday's match in Houston was different—Curacao is not Brazil, and this was just a group-stage opener. Still, the similarity in the score is a reminder that when Germany are in form, they keep scoring. Julian Nagelsmann's team controlled the ball, created chances easily, and showed depth. Brown, Undav, and Havertz all scored as substitutes or from rotation, hinting that the squad is ready for a long tournament, not just one game.  **NEUER AND ADVOCAAT: RECORDS AT BOTH ENDS** Amid the avalanche of goals, two notable individual milestones emerged. Manuel Neuer, the seasoned goalkeeper recalled to the national squad after much debate, became the oldest player to represent Germany at a major tournament. At 40 years and 79 days, the Bayern Munich icon surpassed the mark set by Lothar Matthäus at UEFA Euro 2000. Neuer’s interventions were few, but his authority at set pieces and commanding presence gave Germany poise well beyond statistics. Meanwhile, Advocaat, a Dutch tactician with four decades at the highest level, became the oldest World Cup head coach at 78. He previously guided the Netherlands to the 1998 World Cup semi-finals. After Curacao’s heavy loss, he responded with dignity and not a trace of bitterness. **WHAT COMES NEXT** Germany now leads Group E, and their goal difference sends a message to the rest of the teams. Looking ahead, they face the Ivory Coast next, which will be a tougher challenge than Curacao. Ecuador, which Germany beat 3-0 in the 2006 World Cup, is the last group opponent. Currently, Nagelsmann's team has won nine matches in a row, and their attack looks dangerous. Curacao will play Ecuador on June 20, which is likely their best chance to earn points. For Advocaat, a key lesson is that his team cannot repeat the defensive mistakes that allowed Germany so many goals. Still, the belief that they belong at this level—created when Comenencia scored, and the crowd held its breath—will not fade easily.
