HOUSTON (AP) — Germany's seven-goal rout of Curaçao in its World Cup opener on Sunday was the perfect outcome to overshadow a close first half and boost the team after consecutive group stage exits for the four-time champions.
Kai Havertz scored two goals as Germany pulled away from World Cup first-timer Curaçao and piled it on in a 7-1 win in group play. The smallest country to ever appear in the tournament hung tight at 1-1 until the 38th minute.
Click to Gallery
Germany's Kai Havertz celebrates with teammate Jonathan Tah, left, after scoring his side's third goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Germany's Nico Schlotterbeck (15) celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Smith)
Germany's Nico Schlotterbeck (15) scores their second goal against Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room (1) during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Smith)
Germany's Jamal Musiala falls to the ground in front of Curaçao's Juninho Bacuna during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Germany's Nico Schlotterbeck (15) celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Smith)
Germany's Florian Wirtz, left, attempts a shot at goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Germany's Jonathan Tah, front , and Curaçao's Tahith Chong fight for the ball during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
“We really needed this convincing win,” coach Julian Nagelsmann said. “We needed this self confidence. It was there but it definitely grew.”
He said Sunday's display was important for the country's fans.
“We have to show them that we can perform and we have to have the confidence,” he said. “I think we’re in a better spot than we were entering this match.”
Livano Comenencia tied it at 1-1 with his left-footed shot through traffic from the center of the box in the 21st minute to give Curaçao its first goal in the tournament and send fans of the tiny Caribbean nation into a frenzy.
“Even though it wasn’t me, it felt like it was me, it was all of us, the whole island, everybody,” Curaçao's Jearl Margaritha said. “We screamed our lungs out. So we were happy.”
It was all Germany after that with the team regaining the lead on Nico Schlotterbeck’s header off Nathaniel Brown’s corner kick in the 38th.
“One team has very high expectations and the other one doesn’t and that’s a bit tricky,” Nagelsmann said.
The margin of victory comes well short of the World Cup record of nine goals which has happened three times, with the last one coming when Hungary beat El Salvador 10-1 in 1982.
Havertz connected on a penalty shot into the left goal in first half stoppage time to make it 3-1. Germany was awarded the penalty shot after Felix Nmecha was tripped in the box by Riechedly Bazoer.
Germany wasted no time after halftime to extend the lead with Jamal Musiala scoring on a right-footed shot across the goalkeeper’s area in the 47th minute.
Brown scored in the 68th minute to push the advantage to 5-1. The 22-year-old has an American father, but made it clear ahead of the World Cup he'd be representing the country in which he was born and raised by his mother.
Deniz Undav added a goal in the 78th minute. Havertz's second goal came in the 88th.
It was a strong start for Germany against underdog Curaçao as the team seeks redemption after failing to get out of the group stage in Russia and Qatar following its 2014 title.
“We are on the right path but of course there are things that we can do better and we will have stronger opponents,” Nagelsmann said.
Nmecha one timed it with his right foot into the near post just inside the upper box with an assist from Florian Wirtz in the sixth minute to make it 1-0.
The crowd of 68,021 was overwhelming rooting for Germany but there was a spirited contingent of people cheering on Curaçao.
It was the first match of the tournament at Houston Stadium, normally called NRG Stadium where the NFL’s Houston Texans play.
Manuel Neuer, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who came out of international retirement for the tournament, had one save in his first appearance for Germany in almost two years.
The match featured the largest age gap between coaches in World Cup history with Curaçao's 78-year-old coach Dick Advocaat becoming the oldest ever in the tournament against 38-year-old Nagelsmann, who is the youngest coach in this year’s tournament.
Germany faces Ivory Coast in its next match in Toronto on Saturday and Curaçao meets Ecuador Saturday in Kansas City.
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Germany's Kai Havertz celebrates with teammate Jonathan Tah, left, after scoring his side's third goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Germany's Nico Schlotterbeck (15) celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Smith)
Germany's Nico Schlotterbeck (15) scores their second goal against Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room (1) during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Smith)
Germany's Jamal Musiala falls to the ground in front of Curaçao's Juninho Bacuna during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Germany's Nico Schlotterbeck (15) celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Smith)
Germany's Florian Wirtz, left, attempts a shot at goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Germany's Jonathan Tah, front , and Curaçao's Tahith Chong fight for the ball during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Germany and Curacao in Houston, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
