Four-time winners Germany overcame a brief scare from World Cup debutants Curacao before turning on the style to win their Group E opener in Houston.
Die Mannschaft went ahead in the sixth minute with the tournament’s earliest goal so far coming from a delightful curling effort from one-time England youth international Felix Nmecha after a classy Florian Wirtz touch.
But they were stunned by a historic leveller from the smallest nation ever, by size and population, to take part in a World Cup.
With around 155,000 inhabitants, the Caribbean island of just 171 square miles is smaller than the Isle of Man with a population the same as Huddersfield.
Zurich midfielder Livano Comenencia wrote his name in Blue Wave folklore on 21 minutes with a left-footed drive from the edge of the box which deflected past Germany keeper Manuel Neuer, appearing in a fifth tournament at the age of 40 and surpassing Lothar Matthaus as his country’s oldest international.
Moments after Curacao striker Jurgen Locadia then had a penalty appeal waved away after nipping past Jonathan Tah, a hydration break midway through the half gave the unsettled Germans the opportunity to reset.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side did just that, showing fresh impetus in attack and restoring their lead after 17 minutes of parity through Nico Schlotterbeck’s flashing header from Nathaniel Brown’s corner to the near post.
The pressure intensified and a calm penalty from Kai Havertz in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage-time – following a rash lunge on the impressive Nmecha by Riechedly Bazoer – gave the eight-time finalists breathing space.
Just 69 seconds after the interval Jamal Musiala fired in an angled finish from Joshua Kimmich’s neat pass to signal Germany’s intent as they took control of the game.
Left-back Brown lashed home a volley after a neat flick from substitute Deniz Undav, who then swept home a sixth from Kimmich’s pass.
The former Brighton forward, now at Stuttgart, then set up Havertz for Germany’ s seventh goal two minutes from time, a lovely dink over Curacao keeper Eloy Room to seal a dominant success.
The victory matched their 7-1 semi-final success over Brazil in 2014 – the last time they lifted the trophy – and took them past the Selecao as the World Cup’s leading scorers with 239 goals.
After disappointing group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, Germany came into this tournament somewhat under the radar, with the perennial powerhouse considered only seventh favourites to lift their fifth World Cup.
They have, however, now won 10 straight matches since a 2-0 defeat in their qualifier in Slovakia in September and seem to have found a system which brings the best out of Musiala, Havertz and Wirtz, while Nmecha is growing in stature all the time.
They looked exciting and dangerous with every attack and wasted chances that would have threatened Hungary’s 10-1 win over El Salvador in 1982 as the tournament’s biggest win. notably when Leroy Sane fired wide when clean through.
Undav was another spark off the bench with a lively cameo of a goal and two assists.
The slight concern for the Germans, though, would be defensively as they haven’t kept a clean sheet in their past seven World Cup matches – their longest run since 1970.
Centre-back Schlotterbeck, who was axed during the 2022 World Cup, might also have been punished for poor positioning by more ruthless opposition than the Concacaf minnows.
And the path to extending their record number of World Cup final appearances to nine in New York/New Jersey on 19 July will not be a simple one, either.
Should they finish in top spot, they could face the team finishing third in the group containing Brazil, Morocco and Scotland, while France are possible last-16 opponents.
By winning their opening game, Nagelsmann’s men have done what they have failed to do in their previous two campaigns – and a first knockout appearance since they beat Argentina in the 2014 final seems assured.
Bitter-sweet debut for Curacao
It was fun for a while as they showed great spirit and had Germany concerned when they levelled.
There may be lingering headaches too, especially for their supporters, following their debut on football’s biggest stage – perhaps fitting for a nation most famous for its alcoholic drink of the same name.
But the emotions will be bitter-sweet, which also seems apt, after their dream start was ruined by a ruthless Germany.
History was made as the Blue Wave were introduced to the world and Comenencia struck a memorable first goal, while boss Dick Advocaat, once of Sunderland and Rangers and a three-time Netherlands boss, became the oldest coach in World Cup history at 78 years and 260 days old.
Curacao were, however, the first debutants in 72 years to lose by six goals in their first match, following South Korea’s 9-0 defeat by Hungary.
Labelled the biggest mismatch at the tournament according to the bookmakers, it was always going to be a tough test against a side as experienced as Germany.
They showed enterprise in attack, but were too open at the back, and their best hopes of making an impact at the tournament were always going to be in the remaining group games against the Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
Advocaat admitted: “We expected to do more, but they were too strong. We conceded three easy goals and 4-1 would have been a better score.
“Despite this 7-1 outcome, the joy of the fans is fantastic. This is not a disgrace, we can still be proud. We still have two games to go and those could end differently.
“The players will not be downcast, it was still great to play in this game.”
