Germany will have only one option when they face Curacao on Sunday at the 2026 World Cup and that is a big win. Four-time World Cup winners Germany will be looking to restore their former glory after being knocked out in the first round of the previous two editions. Germany last won the World Cup in 2014.

Germany will be looking to win their fifth World Cup. Germany themselves are not in a position to consider themselves as title contenders. So facing Curacao early in the tournament is an easy option for the team. Curacao is the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup. Group E also includes Ecuador and Ivory Coast. That is why Germany will need to win against Curacao.

Coach Julian Nagelsmann's Germany is currently in a kind of rhythm. The team has not suffered a defeat in its last nine matches. Germany beat Finland 4-0 and co-hosts the United States 2-1 in two friendlies before the World Cup.

Curacao itself is relatively new to world football. Most of the players on the team come from the Netherlands or lower divisions in Europe.

But veteran Curacao coach Dick Advocaat is excited about the match against Germany. At 78, he is on course to become the oldest coach at a World Cup. “Germany is definitely the strongest team in this group,” he says. “Germany is still a football powerhouse. It’s a privilege to play against such a strong team at the start. This game will show where we really stand.”

Advocaat knows full well that there will be a big gap in level between the two teams. The current German team also features players like Kai Havertz, Floren Wirtz and Manuel Neuer. These players want Germany to have a great start to the tournament. Rudi Voller, the director of the German national team and a member of the 1990 World Cup champion team, says, “We are not strong contenders for the title right now, there are 3-4 other strong teams.”

“We know how important it is for us to win the first game of the tournament,” he added, “We are here to perform well and want to prove ourselves as a tough opponent. Our current goal is to win the group and reach the knockout stage.” However, if there is any other result than a win against Curacao, Germany will suddenly be under intense pressure. The German team’s supporters want, at least, not to have a performance like the last two World Cups.

Voller says, “The victories we have achieved in the last two friendly matches have encouraged us. We want to maintain this momentum. Again, winning the first game doesn't mean we'll make it to the knockout stages. We have to win our group. That's the only objective. There hasn't been much discussion about it within the team, but it's the only option.'

Players to watch

Florian Wittgenstein (Germany)

Florian Wittgenstein is playing in his first World Cup. He missed the 2022 World Cup despite being in the German squad due to an ACL injury. He has made a huge impact since making his international debut in 2021. But he had to wait until March 2024 to score his first goal for the German national team. Wittgenstein scored after seven seconds in Germany's 2-0 win over France, the fastest goal in German history. He has since scored 11 goals in 41 appearances for the national team.

He has become a major talent in German football since making his professional debut for Bayer Leverkusen in 2020. He is now considered one of the best attacking midfielders in German football. He scored 18 goals in 49 games as Leverkusen went undefeated to the Bundesliga title in the 2023–24 season. He then moved to Liverpool at the age of 23 for around €120 million, making him the sixth most expensive player in the world. He scored five goals in 33 games for Liverpool last season.