Curaçao should not be underestimated when Germany takes on the Caribbean islanders in the World Cup opener in Group E on Sunday, but the four-time champions will make a winning start to the tournament, German defender Nico Schlotterbeck said on Thursday.
Only a convincing win against Curaçao will be enough, while Germany will be looking to start the tournament strongly after shocking first-round eliminations in 2018 and 2022.
Curaçao is a self-governing part of the Netherlands, with just over 150,000 inhabitants and a land area of 443 square kilometers. All players have Dutch nationality, as does their coach Dick Advocaat, and it is the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup.
«We had a team meeting yesterday in Curaçao and it is a good team with players trained in the Netherlands,» Schlotterbeck told a press conference. «But we are the favorites and I am confident that we will win the match.»
The Germans will also play against Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E on June 20.
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“I see in the German team many players with a lot of quality, many players at their peak and a few who are playing their last World Cup,” said Schlotterbeck. «You have a mix that is really good. Everyone is just looking forward to it.»
The Germans will play in warm weather in Houston with temperatures expected to be around 30 degrees Celsius, but the players said the focus was only on the first match. It also said it did not feel any pressure during the opening match.
«There is no pressure. We are going into this with confidence and on Sunday we want to show how good we are,» said Schlotterbeck. “There is no motivation to show everyone what we can do (after the two World Cup finals in the first round),” said Schlotterbeck. “We should not hide from anyone. We are a top, top, top team and we have again shown the German virtues on the field after a very long time.”
“We have discipline, passion and the ability to resist and if we show our German virtues we will be well placed.”
Published on June 11, 2026
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