4-time winners Germany start their 2026 World Cup marketing campaign in a quintessential David versus Goliath encounter with match history-makers Curacao in Houston.
On paper, Die Mannschaft are clear favourites to take all three factors towards the smallest nation ever to qualify for soccer’s showpiece occasion.
Nonetheless, the Germans shall be acutely conscious that their final two World Cup campaigns have resulted in spectacular failure, with the seemingly perennial powerhouses crashing out within the group stage after dropping their opening recreation on each events.
Julian Nagelsmann shall be hoping his facet – one brimming with a mixture of expertise and expertise – can banish their current disappointment on the grandest stage to the annals of historical past.
However taking up Caracao, a tiny island within the south Caribbean with a inhabitants smaller than that of many UK cities and cities, could show removed from a foregone conclusion.
Led by vastly-experienced Dutch boss Dick Advocaat – who at 78 turns into the oldest supervisor in World Cup historical past – lots of the Curacao squad had been born within the Netherlands, a standard rival of the Germans, giving the event some added spice.
Germany workforce information
Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer has shrugged off a calf downside to start out in purpose for Germany.
The 40-year-old stopper was recalled for the match and can assist marshal a back-line of Nathaniel Brown, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck and captain Joshua Kimmich.
Kai Havertz leads the road for the Europeans, with Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane supplying the artistic spark.
Germany XI: Neuer, Brown, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Kimmich, Pavlovic, Nmecha, Sane, Musiala, Wirtz, Havertz.
Curacao workforce information
Advocaat has the advantage of deciding on from a completely match squad, with star man and captain Leandro Bacuna hoping to assist the workforce trigger an almighty upset.
Midfielder Livano Comenencia, at simply 22 years of age, may also be trying to catch the attention at this match.
Curacao XI: Room, Floranus, Obispo, Bazoer, Fonville, Comenencia, J. Bacuna, Hansen, Chong, L. Bacuna, Locadia.
The place to look at Germany v Curacao
Germany versus Curacao kicks off at 6pm UK time. You possibly can watch it on ITV 1 or stream through ITVX.
Click on HERE for a full World Cup TV information
Stats for Germany v Curacao
- Germany have received the World Cup 4 occasions, the joint-most for a European nation alongside Italy. Total, solely Brazil have lifted the trophy on extra events (5).
- Germany will make their twenty first World Cup look, greater than another European nation and second solely to Brazil (23) general. Since final lacking the match in 1950, Germany have superior past the primary spherical on 16 of the final 18 events, although have failed to achieve the knockout phases in each 2018 and 2022.
- Regardless of being eradicated after the group stage on the final World Cup, Germany ranked fourth in anticipated targets over the entire match (10.1). Their 3.4 xG per 90 minutes had been the best of any nation, forward of Brazil (2.20) and eventual champions Argentina (2.15).
- Curaçao reached the World Cup finals for the very first time – they’re the smallest nation by each space and inhabitants to ever attain the finals of the match.
- Curaçao are the primary CONCACAF debutants on the World Cup since Panama in 2018, whereas they wish to grow to be the primary facet from that confederation to progress from the group stage of their debut since Costa Rica in 1990 (spherical of 16).
- In addition to scoring essentially the most targets in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying (28), Curaçao additionally led the best way for anticipated targets (22.7), whereas their 4 targets from excessive turnovers was solely bettered by Costa Rica (6).
