FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group E | Sunday, 14 June 2026 Houston Stadium, Houston, Texas | Attendance: 68,021 | Referee: Jalal Jayed
Livano Comenecia scored. In the 21st minute. Against Germany. At the World Cup.
That moment belongs to Curaçao forever. A nation of 160,000 people. The smallest country ever to reach the World Cup. Their first-ever appearance at the tournament. And they scored. One-one in Houston, and somewhere on that island in the Caribbean Sea, absolute delirium.
It lasted about 17 minutes before Germany reasserted what was always going to happen. But that goal — Comenecia’s equaliser, the first in Curaçao’s World Cup history — will be shown in schools, talked about at family tables, remembered for generations.
Germany won 7-1. Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz twice, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, Deniz Undav. Seven goals. And Manuel Neuer — at 40 years and 79 days old — became the oldest German player to feature at a major tournament, breaking Lothar Matthäus’s record set at Euro 2000. Germany also passed Brazil as the all-time top scorers in World Cup history. 239 goals now. The most in the competition’s existence.
Some afternoon in Houston.
Nmecha got the first on six minutes and it was excellent. A lovely one-two with Florian Wirtz, the ball dropping perfectly, and Nmecha bending his shot around his marker and just inside the right post. One-nil. Germany expected to cruise.
Then Curaçao. Comenencia’s defence-splitting pass was initially blocked, he ran on, kept his composure in front of Neuer and finished. The Houston crowd — packed with neutrals who love an upset — gave a massive roar. One-one. Germany stunned. The German bench visibly uncomfortable. Julian Nagelsmann immediately making tactical adjustments on the touchline.
It did not last. Schlotterbeck headed Germany back in front in the 38th minute. Havertz converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time. Three-one at the break. Order restored.
The second half was a statement. Musiala in the 47th minute. Brown with a composed volleyed finish to mark his World Cup debut in the 68th. Undav from close range after coming off the bench in the 78th. Havertz completing his brace in the 88th. Seven goals. The floodgates opened and Curaçao — who had defended admirably for stretches — simply ran out of energy and options against a side operating at a different level.
Havertz was named Player of the Match. Two goals, a constant threat, exactly the kind of performance Germany needed from their main striker after some patchy form earlier in the year. He said afterwards the result gave the team a lot of confidence going into the Ivory Coast and Ecuador games. Hard to argue.
The Curaçao story deserves more attention than the scoreline gives it. They qualified through CONCACAF and arrived in the United States as 160-to-1 outsiders to win the tournament. Nobody gave them a chance against Germany. And for 15 minutes after Comenencia scored, they made Germany genuinely nervous. That is not nothing. It is a story the island will tell for a very long time.
Their head coach Remko Bicentini had spoken before the game about the privilege of being at a World Cup and the importance of competing with dignity. They did that. Comenencia’s goal was the reward. The final scoreline was always the probability. A 7-1 loss to Germany in your first ever World Cup group game is not a failure. It is context.
Germany in Group E now with three points, seven goals scored and one conceded. Ivory Coast face Ecuador next on Monday in the other group game. The Group E picture takes shape from there. Germany face Ivory Coast on June 20. They will go into that match as heavy favourites. After Houston, nobody will be questioning their attacking quality.
This is also Germany’s redemption arc playing out in real time. They have crashed out in the group stage of each of the last two World Cups — 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar — historic failures for a nation of that size and pedigree. Nagelsmann came in and demanded accountability and identity. Sunday in Houston, Germany looked like themselves again. Seven goals is a statement of intent that will travel through the tournament.
For live World Cup scores from every group, visit fawanews.org.uk. Full results, standings and fixtures at the official FIFA World Cup website.
Germany 7-1 Curaçao FIFA World Cup 2026, Group E | Sunday, 14 June 2026 Houston Stadium, Houston, Texas | Attendance: 68,021 | Referee: Jalal Jayed
Goals: Felix Nmecha 6′, Livano Comenencia 21′ (Curaçao), Nico Schlotterbeck 38′, Kai Havertz 45+5′ pen, Jamal Musiala 47′, Nathaniel Brown 68′, Deniz Undav 78′, Kai Havertz 88′
Germany (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, Schlotterbeck, Rüdiger, Mittelstädt; Andrich, Kroos; Gnabry (Brown 64′), Wirtz (Undav 72′), Musiala; Nmecha (Havertz 38′)
Curaçao: Kuwas; defenders; Comenecia, others
Stats: Possession GER 64.7% — CUW 35.3% | Shots on Goal 12-2 | Attempts 26-8 | Corners 8-1 | Saves 1-4 | xG GER 3.91 — CUW 0.40 | Half-time: 3-1
Records broken: Manuel Neuer — oldest German to feature at a major tournament (40 years, 79 days). Germany — all-time top scorers in World Cup history (239 goals, passing Brazil on 238).
