Germany made a successful start to World Cup 2026 on Sunday, demolishing Curaçao 7-1 in Boston. The four-time world champions were clinical in their execution, with goals from Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, and Deniz Undav. Despite the heavy defeat, Curaçao marked their historic World Cup debut with a goal of their own through Livano Comenencia.
Germany made a strong World Cup start on Sunday, destroying competition newcomers Curaçao. The Mannschaft wasted little time asserting their dominance, with Felix Nmecha firing them ahead after just six minutes. The Dortmund midfielder showed composure to volley home after receiving a precise cross from Florian Wirtz, setting the tone.
Curaçao, making their first-ever World Cup appearance, initially held their nerve but were undone by a defensive lapse. Just 15 minutes later, Livano Comenencia seized on loose play in the German box to equalise and spark wild celebrations. It was a historic moment for the Caribbean nation, scoring their first-ever World Cup goal. But the breakthrough proved fleeting.
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Germany reasserted control before half-time with two quick strikes. Nico Schlotterbeck powered home a corner in the 38th minute, and Kai Havertz converted a penalty just before the interval to give Julian Nagelsmann's side a commanding 3-1 lead. The Curaçao defence, outmatched against Europe's heavyweight, could offer little resistance as the Germans pressed relentlessly. Despite their underdog status, Curaçao showed flashes of character and fought hard but lacked the quality to trouble Germany's experienced backline consistently.
Strong start for Germany
The second half became a procession as Germany ran riot. Jamal Musiala added a fourth just two minutes after the restart with a clinical finish, before Nathaniel Brown marked his World Cup debut with a goal in the 68th minute. With the match effectively decided, Nagelsmann was able to rotate his squad, introducing fresh legs, including Leon Goretzka and Antonio Rüdiger. Deniz Undav capped a dominant display with a sixth goal in the 78th minute, finding himself unmarked in the box to seal a devastating victory that left no doubt about Germany's credentials.
As the match drew to a close, the Mannschaft added a seventh goal through Kai Havertz, who spotted goalkeeper Eloy Room off his line and executed a cheeky lob to seal a 7-1 final scoreline.
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For Curaçao, the occasion proved too grand and the opposition too strong. Yet history was made, as their opening goal will be remembered fondly back home as the nation's first ever in World Cup football.
