If experience in the competition is anything to go by, Germany will have a very smooth first phase in Group E.
Together, Ecuador (5), Ivory Coast (3) and Curaçao (1) do not reach even half of the German shares (21).
Near the end of the European season, the Germans gained a strong reinforcement: attacking midfielder Musiala, from Bayern Munich, who had suffered a fracture during the FIFA Club World Cup, in a clash with PSG.
On the other hand, Gnabry (also from Bayern) tore a muscle in his thigh and was left out of the final squad.
The Germans debut against newcomer Curaçao, in their first World Cup and a candidate for the competition’s punching bag. The Caribbean team will be led by the experienced Dutchman Dick Advocaat, 78, the oldest coach in the tournament.
South American representative in the group, Ecuador arrives motivated by the excellent South American Qualifier, when they were only behind Argentina.
Closing the group, Ivory Coast is trying, for the first time in its history, to advance from the group stage — and, in 2026, it helps that we have eight third-placed teams classified.
With matches being played in stadiums in Houston, Kansas and Philadelphia, the maximum capacity for the three games in Curaçao will be around 214,000 people, much more than the country’s 160,000 inhabitants.
Germans play to ward off the 7-1 curse. That’s right. All they had to do was win the World Cup in Brazil (like that) and the Europeans subsequently suffered two eliminations in the first phase (something practically impossible in the USA).
