Germany delivered a commanding performance in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E opener, defeating Curacao 7-1 in Houston — though the four-time world champions were made to work harder than the scoreline suggests early on.

Kai Havertz was the standout performer on the night, scoring twice to drive Germany's dominant display against the World Cup debutants.

Curacao's brief scare

Curacao, appearing at their first-ever World Cup, refused to be overawed from the start. The Caribbean side gave Germany an early scare before the European giants asserted their class and began to pull away.

Once Germany found their rhythm, there was no way back for Curacao. The floodgates opened as Germany turned on the style, running out emphatic winners in a Group E statement performance.

Havertz leads the charge

Havertz was at the heart of Germany's attacking brilliance, netting two goals to cap an impressive individual showing. His contributions underlined why he remains central to Germany's ambitions at this tournament.

The 7-1 victory sends a clear signal to Germany's Group E rivals — and to the wider World Cup field — that the four-time champions are in formidable shape heading into the competition.