Germany vs. Curacao: Three reasons why Julian Nagelsmann's side can win World Cup 2026 after 7-1 triumph in opening game

Germany kicked off their World Cup 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion on Sunday evening, thrashing debutants Curacao 7-1 in Houston.

Julian Nagelsmann's DFB-Team opened the scoring through Borussia Dortmund's Felix Nmecha with less than six minutes on the clock, setting the tone for the demolition to follow with an excellent strike from the edge of the box.

Dick Advocaat's Blue Wave did manage to pull one back and level the clash in the first half, but their hope was short-lived as Nico Schlotterbeck made up for his error by restoring the European giants' lead.

Five more goals would ensue for Germany, who made a statement by delivering the strongest performance of the tournament so far, and will now be seen by many as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at three reasons why Nagelsmann's side can go all the way and win World Cup 2026 after their 7-1 victory over Curacao.

Germany's commitment to keep playing, despite thrashing Curacao

The Germany XI were raring to go from minute one, and they refused to give any quarter to their opponents until the final whistle.

Nmecha combined neatly with Liverpool's Florian Wirtz to establish his team's lead so early, and it was impressive that Kai Havertz sealed the win with 88 minutes on the clock with a ruthless chip.

By that stage, Curacao were already thoroughly beaten, having conceded three times in the first 45 and three in the second.

However, the Arsenal frontman was not content to stop at six, and the ability to remove the occasion and spectacle from view and to instead focus on winning to the fullest extent could be a vital trait as World Cup 2026 progresses.

Some might argue for finding moments of rest in a game against Curacao, who are ranked 82nd by FIFA - and are the smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup - but the mentality that Germany displayed to maintain their attacking intensity in any circumstance will be useful if they come up against the likes of Spain, France or England in the later rounds.

The sheer number of Germany goalscorers in World Cup opener

Germany manager Nagelsmann is blessed with a wealth of talent to use at this summer's tournament, though the four-time winners have earned themselves the label of underachievers in recent campaigns.

The DFB-Team were humiliatingly eliminated in the group stage during the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, and they will be desperate to avoid a repetition in North America.

To his credit, Nagelsmann was able to guide his side to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on home soil, where they were knocked out by a 119th-minute dagger from Mikel Merino against eventual winners Spain.

Many international teams rely on individual star players to get them through the toughest moments in competitions, and while Wirtz was often their talisman in qualifying, the fact that Germany's seven goals on Sunday came from six different players bodes extremely well for their chances.

Germany's bench can be a potent tool at World Cup 2026

In that same vein, the strength of Germany's cohort extends far beyond the XI that lined up against Curacao on Sunday.

For example, Deniz Undav - who racked up an exceptional 25 goals and 14 assists for Stuttgart in 2025-26 - was introduced from the substitutes bench for Jamal Musiala around the hour mark.

The versatile 29-year-old can feature either as a central striker or attacking midfielder, and he slotted perfectly into Nagelsmann's 4-2-3-1 system behind Havertz, going on to bag his team's sixth of the day.

Joining the former Brighton and Hove Albion star on the bench were Nick Woltemade, Leon Goretzka, Angelo Stiller and Antonio Rudiger amongst others, and if Germany are to get their hands on the trophy, then they will need to rely on their squad.

With that in mind, the manager and fans alike will have been pleased to see Undav also collect an assist for Havertz's second goal, topping off a cameo that is sure to fill the group with confidence.