News (engl.)

Germany made an emphatic start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, beating Curaçao 7-1 in Houston. Speaking to DFB.de after the game, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann reflected on the opening win and looked ahead to the rest of the tournament.

DFB.de: Julian, what did you make of Germany’s World Cup opener against Curaçao?

Julian Nagelsmann: We started really well and could have been further ahead, but then conceded from their first shot. After that, we became a bit static. It was a bit of a shock. Once we got going again, though, we put our foot down and scored some really well-worked goals. You still have to go out and score seven at the end of the day. There were a lot of good things, but also a few areas we can analyse properly and learn from.

DFB.de: Did the drinks break in the first half help your team?

Nagelsmann: It did help, because it gave us the chance to show the players on the board what we had already changed. We told the team to be brave and carry on in the same way they had played in the first 20 minutes.

DFB.de: Manuel Neuer made his comeback. How did you think he did?

Nagelsmann: He did well. He keeps the goal out if the ball doesn’t take a deflection. He was also alert to a couple of balls in behind and brings an incredible calmness to the team.

DFB.de: Did Jamal Musiala complain when he was substituted?

Nagelsmann: He had a little grumble, but in the nicest possible way. He played very well and had a lot of good moments. There was no issue with him at all. I took him off because I wanted to give other players minutes. We have to reward players for the work they put in and the contribution they make to the group.

DFB.de: Was that Felix Nmecha’s best game for Germany so far?

Nagelsmann: Felix did very well. He’s an outstanding footballer and he’s going to be a player we really enjoy watching.

DFB.de: You had a lot of different goalscorers. Is that unpredictability one of this team’s strengths?

Nagelsmann: There’s a real togetherness in the group and that has to carry us. The spirit is very good. The substitutes are pushing the team on massively too, and that’s key. We have to keep that going and not let it drop at all.

DFB.de: What can this win do for the team?

Nagelsmann: The key thing was to build belief and trust within the group, and that has grown. The belief is stronger now than it was before the game. We want to give fans in Germany plenty to get excited about. If we show the patience we need while still playing with speed and intensity, we can have a strong tournament.

DFB.de: Next week will mark 1,000 days since you took charge. What are your goals now?

Nagelsmann: It’s not about my goals, it’s about our goals. We’re on a good path. Against stronger opponents, there will be phases where we still have to do things better. But 1,000 days is a nice milestone and I’m pleased about that.

DFB.de: How will you reward the players now?

Nagelsmann: There won’t be any special reward. On Monday, the players who didn’t feature as much will train, while the others recover. They’ll then have the second day after the game off.

DFB.de: With the new format, you are more or less through to the next round already. Does that ease the tension a little?

Nagelsmann: We’re not thinking too much about that. We’ve made it clear to the team that the focus always has to be on the next task. The two opponents coming up now are very good. They have a lot of pace and a lot of physicality. We need to use those games to keep building our rhythm as a team. We won’t be putting our feet up or taking the next two matches lightly.