Germany vs Curacao – Predicted lineup and team news

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The Football Faithful

·14 Juni 2026

Germany vs Curacao – Predicted lineup and team news

Germany begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on Sunday with a clash against Curaçao, aiming to reach the knockout stage for the first time since their 2014 triumph.

The German side comes into the tournament in excellent form, having won all four of their friendly matches earlier in 2026. They started with a thrilling 4-3 win over Switzerland, followed by a 2-1 victory against Ghana.

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A dominant 4-0 performance against Finland came next, before they wrapped up preparations with a 2-1 win over the United States. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann appears to have his team well-prepared and playing with confidence.

Germany team news

Germany head into their opening match with most of the squad fit and available. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is ready to return after recovering from a minor calf injury that kept him out of recent friendlies, and he is expected to start.

There has, however, been one setback. Promising 18-year-old Lennart Karl suffered a muscle injury in training and has been ruled out of the tournament. He has been replaced in the squad by RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouédraogo.

Nagelsmann is expected to continue with a youthful tactical approach. Felix Nmecha and Aleksandar Pavlović are likely to start together in central midfield as a double pivot.

In defence, Nathaniel Brown is tipped to get the nod at left-back ahead of David Raum. He will join Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, and Nico Schlotterbeck in the back line.

Further forward, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, and Leroy Sané are set to operate behind striker Kai Havertz, providing creativity and attacking threat.