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Netherlands v Japan: World Cup 2026 – live | World Cup 2026
Key events
14 min The indefatigable Maeda spins away down the left and wins a corner off Dumfries. Nothing comes of the corner, but Japan comes again down the left. Kubo plays in the underlapping Nakamura, whose dangerous low cross towards Maeda is crucially cut out at the near post by Van Hecke.
11 min Netherlands have come closest to scoring but Japan have been better on the ball. As they pop it around in midfield, the great commentator Jon Champion delivers an excellent stat on ITV: this is the first time the Netherlands have started a World Cup game without a player from their own domestic league.
8 min Maeda pulls into space on the left and hits an early cross that is swept away on the bounce by Van Dijk.
It’s been a bright and breezy start, with both teams going for it.
6 min Nakamura beats Van de Ven on the left wing and is pulled back. That could easily have brought a yellow card. Don’t ask me why Van de Ven was temporarily playing right-back, because I have no idea.
3 min: Fine save by Suzuki!
After a long, windng move from the Netherlands, Malen receives the ball just inside the area with his back to goal. In a flash he rolls Taniguchi and whacks a shot that is punched over the bar by Suzuki.
At first it looked a great save but in fact Malen’s shot, though very well struck, was pretty close to the keeper. He still had to sort his hands out and get the ball out of a dodge, a task he performed excellently.
1 min Peep peep! Netherlands, dressed in brilliant orange, kick off from left to right as we watch. Japan are wearing their blue home strip; and whether you’re into the game or into fashion, the Japan Home Kit is a piece that shows ambition and pride with subtlety. With a wave-inspired white graphic on deep blue, this kit is a nod to national identity – made to inspire you to go beyond the horizon.”
“I followed Andrew Goudie’s link to Joachim Klement’s analysis and, even though it’s by an economist, it’s a cracking read,” begins Charles Antaki. “Sample:
Group D is the most evenly matched group of all … It will all depend on the form on the day who will succeed, but I think the Australians will summon their cricket spirit and win the group in the same way they win the Ashes – mostly due to the ineptitude of their opponents, and if that isn’t enough, then cheating.
“He’s also willing to predict that ‘Japan will win against Brazil’ .. though he does go on to claim that it’ll be ‘one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history’, which looks a bit charitable to Brazil at the moment.”
A reminder of the teams
Netherlands (4-3-3) Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo.
Subs: Roefs, Flekken, Geertruida, Ake, Wieffer, Hato, De Roon, Kluivert, Til, Q Timber, Koopmeiners, Weghorst, Depay, Lang, Brobbey.
Japan (3-4-2-1) Z Suzuki; Watanabe, Taniguchi, H Ito; Doan, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Kubo, Maeda; Ueda.
Subs: Osako, Hayakawa, Sugawara, Itakura, Nagatomo, Seko, Tomiyasu, J Suzuki, Tanaka, K Ito, Y Suzuki, Machino, Goto, Ogawa, Shiogai.
Referee Ismail Elfath (USA)
“Ah, Mogwai,” purrs Matt Dony. “Magnificent. Been reminding myself of their genius recently. Ceiling Granny from 2021’s As The Love Continues is a better Smashing Pumpkins song than anything Billy Corgan has written in the last 20 years.
“Similarly, in Liverpool’s title season (feels a long time ago), Ryan Gravenberch was a better Claude Makelele than almost any other player has managed in the last 20 years. I hope he can bring that energy, disruptiveness and ball-playing to this tournament.
“I’m hoping the Netherlands go far. Mind you, Japan are always a likeable team, too. Argh, I don’t know! Let’s simply hope it’s entertaining!”
May nothing but happiness come through your door.
“‘An entire postcode of imaginary farms’ sounds like a chapter in Cruyff’s autobiography, tbh,” writes James Humphries. “One of the later ones just before he unretires, I guess.”
You need space to teach people Total Football, mate, and you need an imagination too.
“I was in the middle of writing a witty message on the mathematician who claimed the Dutch would win, only to see that somebody has beaten me to it,” writes Eva Maaten. “Oh well. But, I can share with you the reaction of my Dutch husband and half-Dutch daughter which one of slightly amused disbelief – not much confidence in this Dutch team.”
Let’s accentuate the positive: if this relatively unfancied Netherlands side win the World Cup, we’ll know for sure that Joachim Klement’s model is bulletproof. And I’ll own an entire postcode of imaginary farms.
A couple of DMs to look out for tonight
Spain, who are going to win the World Cup since you asked, get their campaign under way against Cape Verde tomorrow. Sid Lowe’s preview is as readable as ever.
“After seeing that Curacao are as good as the 2014 Brazil side, I am now all set for this mouthwatering contest,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “Will this be the first goalless draw of the tournament? Or an engaging 2-2 draw? I will settle for anything if someone can recreate the Bergkamp magic just one more time.”
Fun fact: in a world of VAR, Bergkamp would have been suspended for the France 98 quarter-final against Argentina.
“German economist Joachim Klement’s mathematical model has predicted the winner of every World Cup since 2014, and this time he’s predicting the Netherlands to beat Portugal in the final,” writes Andrew Goudie. “I’m all for a bit of maths, but in this case I think I’d prefer my predictions done by an octopus.”
That slimy fraud has been winging it for years. And as for Paul the Octopus, etc.
(But seriously, three winners in a row is pretty persuasive. If I had a farm, I’d be tempted to put in on the Netherlands.)
Full time: Germany 7-1 Curaçao
For David Narey v Brazil in 1982, read Livano Comencia v Germany in 2026. Don’t poke the thing!
The New York Knicks’ NBA glory has absolutely nothing to do with the World Cup – but only if you take these things literally. In Manhattan right now, it’s an essential part of the 2026 World Cup story.
On Haiti v Scotland
William MacGregor, 41, from Dumbarton, described the post-goal atmosphere as “bouncing … Drinks were flying everywhere when the goal went in. Not mine, I kept mine.”
“Thoroughly looking forwards to this,” says James Humphries. “Japan are great fun every time I watch them and my understanding is that the Dutch aren’t defensively at their best, so could be the game of the tournament so far.
”I hope it’s exciting, anyway, because, I didn’t get to my pit till about half five last night (along with about half the population of Glasgow, given the number of cheery wasters I passed on the way) and then had to get up at ten to go take my daughter swimming; if I was about ten years older, medics would probably describe my current mental state as “a bit confused”, in the sort of tones used to tell family members news that could be worse but still nonetheless isn’t great.
“So, um, what… what was I talking about, again?”
Cheery wasters? Japan? Something like that.
Matthew Engel
The connection between King Lear and the 1966 World Cup is little known, mainly because it affected very few people at a now defunct boarding school. I had been a surprise selection to act in the school’s production of Lear (yes, I played the Fool; yes, I was typecast). The day before one of the performances I fell and twisted something and was a doubtful starter for a part that required a lot of dashing about.
Matron prescribed sleeping pills. That night England were playing Mexico in that now-sanctified tournament – almost a must-win after a goalless start against Uruguay. I went to bed early, tucked my transistor under the pillow to hear the commentary, went spark out and only heard the result next morning: England 2 Mexico 0. The rest is national history.
Team news
Ronald Koeman sticks with the same XI that beat Uzbekistan 2-1 in the Netherlands’ final pre-tournament friendly. Memphis Depay, who is fit again, starts on the bench. Crysencio Summerville, who only made his international debut last week, begins on the right wing.
Nine of the Japan XI started their victory at Wembley in March. The exceptions are Takefusa Kubo and Celtic’s Daizen Maeda, who come in for Junya Ito and the sadly injured Kaoru Mitoma. The World Cup is a whole lot poorer for his absence.
Netherlands (4-3-3) Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo.
Subs: Roefs, Flekken, Geertruida, Ake, Wieffer, Hato, De Roon, Kluivert, Til, Q Timber, Koopmeiners, Weghorst, Depay, Lang, Brobbey.
Japan (3-4-2-1) Z Suzuki; Watanabe, Taniguchi, H Ito; Doan, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Kubo, Maeda; Ueda.
Subs: Osako, Hayakawa, Sugawara, Itakura, Nagatomo, Seko, Tomiyasu, J Suzuki, Tanaka, K Ito, Y Suzuki, Machino, Goto, Ogawa, Shiogai.
Referee Ismail Elfath (USA)
Jonathan Wilson
In 2002 there was a sense that Japan had slightly missed an opportunity. South Korea may have enjoyed the benefit of some favourable refereeing, but they also impressed. They were quick, technically good and tactically extremely flexible and they progressed to the semi-final of their home World Cup.
Japan did not do much wrong, topping their group before going down 1-0 to Turkey in the last 16, but the contrast with their co-hosts was inevitably underwhelming.
Although Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo earned moves to PSV off the back of South Korea’s performances, and subsequently joined Manchester United and Tottenham respectively, Japan already had four players with European clubs, although one of them, Junichi Inamoto, had briefly returned to Gamba Osaka from his loan at Arsenal before leaving for Fulham. He never played a league game for Arsène Wenger, his next permanent move taking him to West Brom, where he struggled to make an impact.
The poor Japanese journalist whose job it was to cover him became a great figure of sympathy. The final question of each of Bryan Robson’s pre-match press conferences would always be him asking politely about Inamoto’s progress in training – at least until the moment, after almost two years, when he finally snapped and demanded, with despairing incredulity: “Mr Robson, why do you pick Darren Carter?”
Germany are cruising to victory over Curacao in today’s first game. But whatever the score, the match will be remembered for the greatest moment of Livano Comenencia’s career.
GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! Germany 1-1 Curacao (Comenencia 21)
Do not adjust your screen! This is actually happening! And you know what? It’s almost been coming! Again, Curacao attack, slipping a pass into the box, and when the ball breaks to Locadia, he shoots, the effort blocked, but Comenencia arrives on to it, his shot flicks off a Kimmich, the deflection taking it over Neuer’s hands, and CURACAO HAVE LEVELLED IT AGAINST GERMANY! THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT, AND IMAGINE THE SOUTH CARIBBEAN RIGHT ABOUT NOW!
Team guide: Japan
By Takashi Ogami
Japan are no longer at a stage where speaking openly about “winning the World Cup” invites ridicule. Their historic victories over Germany and Spain in 2022 proved that they are capable of producing much more than just a one-off upset. Over nearly eight years in charge the head coach, Hajime Moriyasu, has built a side capable not merely of surviving against the world’s elite, but of defeating them too. This was backed up by wins against Brazil in October and England – at Wembley – in March.
The expected system is a 3-4-2-1, though Japan also experimented with a 3-1-4-2 against England, suggesting tactical flexibility depending on the oppostion. Pressing aggressively from the top is important, with players such as Takefusa Kubo, Ritsu Doan, Keito Nakamura and Junya Ito all excellent at putting pressure on opponents.
Hopes are high back home, though, and the former Japan coach Akira Nishino, who led the side at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, says of the current squad: “It’s not about individuals acting like egoists. This group of players fight together and within that unity, individuality emerges. There is a strength in these ‘Japanised’ individuals.”
This team genuinely believe they can win the World Cup.
Team guide: Netherlands
By Marcel van der Kraan
Has Ronald Koeman ever started a major tournament with more headaches? Probably not. He is known as an exceptionally ambitious perfectionist, which means the preparation for this World Cup has been the most troublesome of all his years as the national-team head coach.
Injuries are part and parcel of the game but it becomes a real problem when, in the run-up to a major tournament, around half the starting XI is either ruled out completely or sidelined for months. In the spring Koeman said he would only take players who were fully fit and playing regularly, but that stance became difficult to maintain.
Tottenham’s Xavi Simons suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April and won’t be back until next year. The PSV midfielder Jerdy Schouten is also recovering from the same injury. Matthijs de Ligt, who has often partnered Virgil van Dijk in central defence, has not regained full fitness after a back problem.
Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong missed most of the season, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries was out for four months. Manchester City’s Tijjani Reijnders and Nathan Aké were often on the bench while Memphis Depay sustained a serious hamstring injury at the end of his season in Brazil.
Preamble
Hello, how do you do and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Netherlands v Japan in Texas. This is one of the most enticing games of the group stage, a cruiserweight contest between two teams who are desperate to break new ground at the World Cup.
The Netherlands are probably the best team never to win the World Cup and definitely the only team to lose three finals without winning one. Japan are surely the best team never to reach the quarter-finals.
They look in good shape to right that particular wrong. Since completing their qualification campaign a year ago, Japan won have nine of their 12 games, including first ever victories over Brazil and England. Now they’re hunting a first win over the Netherlands.
If Japan are the hipster’s choice at this World Cup, then the Netherlands continue to go under the radar. The squad doesn’t have the same stardust as more famous Dutch teams, but their recent record is strong. They lost to the eventual winners Argentina in the quarter-final of the last World Cup and went toe-to-toe with England before losing a dramatic Euro 2024 semi-final.
This is a tricky group, which also includes Sweden and Tunisia, so a draw tonight would be a decent result for Netherlands and Japan. Let’s hope they’re not thinking that way.
Kick off 3pm local/4pm EDT/9pm BST.
Japanese firms will spend billions on UK infrastructure and offshore wind, Downing Street says.
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Former Lord Provost Dr Michael Kelly has told the BBC scenes over the past week were disgraceful.
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Key events
Change for Curacao: Antonisse replaces Hansen.
The great Rob Smyth is up and away over here…
I’m excited for this one, but we’ve got another 45 to go here. If Curacao score next, you never know.
Half-time email: “There’s another reason why members of the fourth estate should be cheering on the little island this month, reckons Justin Kavanagh. “That lovely Caribbean blue Curaçao drink is the key ingredient of a very fine cocktail called a Journalist, also involving gin, dry vermouth, lemon juice and Angostura bitters. I made one last week and didn’t regret it.”
It sounds a lot more civilised than the flaming blue lamborghinis of my youth, which I’d like to regret but don’t.
Half-time reading: a piece on a shock defeat for Germany and one of the most iconic goals of the 90s.
HALF-TIME: Germany 3-1 Curacao
A terrifically entertaining half of World Cup FootballTM. Germany are clear now, but everything we saw in the first tells us the second will be a lot of fun too.
GOAL! Germany 3-1 Curacao (Havertz pen 45+5)
Havertz ambles up and pauses; Room dives left, and Havertz rolls into the right corner. But it was fun while it lasted, and we’ve got ourselves an eternal moment that’ll stay with us whatever happens from here.
PENALTY TO GERMANY!
45+4 min Nmecha, inside the box, shapes to shoot and Bazoer buys it, sliding in, as the ball is moved one more. He doesn’t fall immediately but when he realises he’ll not be able to get his effort off, he collapses, and the ref has no option but to point to the spot.
45+2 min Chong finds Comenencia, who doesn’t give it back, but Curacao continue probing, Hansen’s eventual shot blocked. I’m really enjoying their conviction on the counter.
45+1 min We’ll have four additional minutes.
45 min Again, Musiala beats men, and though the ball is half-cleared, Wirtz tees-up Pavlovic, whose shot is blocked by Leandro Bacuna.
44 min Another Germany corner, this time from the left, and again, Scholtterbeck is the target, leaing at the back post to head back in, winning another … which comes to nowt.
44 min This has been a hugely enjoyable half. Germany have played pretty well, but the way they play – and in particular, their rest defence, which is aggressive and high – necessarily leaves space for opponents to exploit.
42 min Musiala is so good in tight spaces – he and Kobbie Mainoo are the two I currently watch and find myself shocked they’ve come out of one with the ball, while also not being shocked at all. He bets tow on the edge, but then overhits the delicate pass required to put Havertz in.
40 min “Watching Germany v Curacao,” says Peter Rehwaldt, I can’t help but be struck by the math. If each team gets half the tickets at the stadium (yes, I know that’s not how it works, but bear with me), you could put around 1/4 to 1/3 of the whole Curacao population in the stands…”
Based on what I’ve seen of those who are there, that’d be a pretty decent party.
GOAL! Germany 2-1 Curacao (Schlotterbeck 38)
This time, Kimmich’s delivery is good and no one follows Schlotterbeck, attacking the near post from the far; he glances back the way he ran, and not only does he have his first Germany goal, he has a World Cup goal. No one can ever take that away from him, just as Comenencia will forever be known for the joy he bestowed.
37 min The Germany players won’t be panicking, but they’ll be fearing the shame. They have, though, won a corner down the right.
34 min “Nibble nibble” returns Jeffrey Lilley. “This is what it’s all about. Yeah, it could still end 10-1 for the Germans, but they got nibbled by the minnow … who will now have the confidence to go for a bite.”
Yup, it’s the beauty of a low-scoring game – the underdog has a chance in a way that other team sports don’t really allow. Football is quite good, in my opinion.
32 min It’s getting untidy at the back, but Curacao are doing enough, Musiala threading a delectable pass into the box for Sane, who collects, then swivels into a shot … blocked brilliantly by Fonville, the rebound eluding Havertz.
30 min Germany are back dictating, working the ball across the face of the penalty area for Pavlovic, who shoots hard and low from the edge … but Comenecia blocks. What a few minutes he’s having and, for the rest of his life, he’ll be known as the man who scored Curacao’s first World Cup goal. I’d like to describe how he’s feeling, but it’s completely beyond my comprehension; my eyeballs are sweating even thinking about it.
29 min Room fists the corner away but Gerany sustain the attack, Sane attacking Obsipo on the outside, down the right … and the tackle is perfect, risky but beautifully timed. The resultant corner comes to nothing.
28 min And the delivery is excellent, flighted towards Schlotterbeck on the far side of the box, and he’s up, the connection is decent … and Room tips over.
27 min We get going again and Germany win a free-kick down the right, not far from the by-line; Kimmich is behind it.
26 min “I know exactly which bar and drink you’re referring to here, after having had it once you wouldn’t soon forget,” says Dave Cross. “I was so naive at that age I assumed it was a popular drink and asked for it at bars here in Toronto, obviously to impress my fellow university students with my knowledge of how to get blitheringly drunk. More than one bartender gave me a confused stare and simply said no.”
Probably for the best. After three, a couple of my mates decided it’d be a good idea to play a game entailing alternate straight punches to the jaw. That turned out not to be the case.
24 min Time for a water break.
23 min Now Locadia goes at Tah on the outside, looking like he’s gone by only to be eased into the turf. Suddenly, this is a contest!
GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! Germany 1-1 Curacao (Comenencia 21)
Do not adjust your screen! This is actually happening! And you know what? It’s almost been coming! Again, Curacao attack, slipping a pass into the box, and when the ball breaks to Locadia, he shoots, the effort blocked, but Comenencia arrives on to it, his shot flicks off a Kimmich, the deflection taking it over Neuer’s hands, and CURACAO HAVE LEVELLED IT AGAINST GERMANY! THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT, AND IMAGINE THE SOUTH CARIBBEAN RIGHT ABOUT NOW!
20 min Better from Curacao, attacking down the right with Hansen, whose cross is intercepted by Chong, leaping to take it away from the man behind. But they’ve men forward and, when the ball breaks to Leandro Bacuna, on the edge, he lashes an effort high and wide.
19 min Curacao win a free-kick in the centre-circle, but instead of getting the big men and the ball launched, they go backwards. I’m sure they’re keen to keep the score social, but they’ve got to take every opportunity to it down the other end.
17 min Curacao heads must be spinning, lungs burning. This what they wanted, and the challenge is every bit as intense as they’d have imagined. But it’s only 1-0, and the numbers Germany are committing forward might just offer them a chance on the counter.
15 min Wirtz moves infield off the left, Brown’s run down the outside helping to create the space, and he too unfurls a curler, the shot flying just wide. If Germany score in the next 15 or so, this could get messy.
14 min “Top wind-up player joins top wind-up manager – makes sense,”.says Charles Antaki on Cucurella to Madrid. “Robbie Savage next to join the club. Others checking emails.”
Tell you what, though: since he started managing, Savage’s co-commentary has become really good. You can tell he’s become obsessed with the tactical side of the game, and he’s pretty good at communicating it.
12 min Gosh, Nmecha shoots again, from the edge, but straight at Room.
11 min I keep trying to publish emails but Germany keep trying to score. How rude. This time, it’s Musiala finding Sane, who dips inside, doesn’t catch all of his shot, and the ball trickles wide of the far post – via deflection, I think, but the ref signals a goalkick and we’re only checking VAR when that happens the other way around, to avoid a goal coming from an error.
8 min Nmecha fancies this, pulling right and lashing a shot that won’t quite curl back in sufficiently. But I’m afraid Curacao are in trouble.
7 min “As an Icelander, I’m rooting for my fellow islanders” writes Kári Tulinius. “I know how thrilling it is for a country with a small population to make the World Cup. One of the beauties of international football is that it’s just eleven against eleven, and a nation of thousands can compete with a nation of millions with some hope of success. I can’t claim any connection to Curaçao, beyond having enjoyed my share of Blue Bols, but I’ll be rooting for them throughout. Come on you Blue Wave!”
I first came across Curacao at a bar in Jerusalem called the Tavern, which was famous for a drink called Polish Butterfly that contained it, grain alcohol and grenadine. It was served with a pint of water, such was the burning effect, and three was enough to bid one a good night, sleep tight.
GREAT GOAL! Germany 1-0 Curacao (Nmecha 6)
Germany looked poised to score when a ball into the box found Nmecha, whose shot was blocked by Obispo, but Nagelsman’s men come again, Nmecha playing short to Wirtz on the edge. He rolls studs over the ball and he return is perfectly weighted, glanced off the side of the foot with no-look disguise and, from 17 yards, a curling finish, punched into the far side-netting, halfway up, secures the lead.
3 min Germany move down the left with Brown beating his man and nudging across the box … but there’s no on able to profit. So Curacao get it forward quickly and, though they can’t threaten, we can see they plan to attack when the opportunity presents itself.
1 min Gosh, the camera angle in Houston is vertiginously high, White Hart Lane and the some; we’ve been denied their away kit, but Curacao look banging in their blue and yellow.
1 min Curacao get us under way. They’re here!
“This game is one of the reasons I love the World Cup,” says Jeffrey Lilley. An established power versus a debutante that most people don’t know much about. It’s fascinating for many reasons. It looks like a mismatch but I’ve seen Germany get nibbled, and sometimes bitten, by supposed minnows before.”
And even so, this one would be unprecedented. What I also love – and the Scotland game showed the same aspect – is what just being involved means to those for whom it’s not de rigueur. Georgia at the last Euros is another example of the same; I can’t think of many times I’ve seen that level of fervency.
A real turn-up for the books…
I was broadly fine with the water breaks because player safety has to be paramount, but already, it looks like the opportunity to show ads it what’s really going on here, and the change to the nature of the game, halting momentum and allowing for a reset, is not acceptable.
Anthem time…
Our teams are tunnelled … and here they come!
“I mean, Scotland scored four against Curaçao in a recent friendly so, you know, I don’t think Germany are in too much danger here,” begins Simon McMahon. “But we also conceded first and only really took control once the South Caribbeans had gone down to 10 so, you know, maybe it’s not a foregone conclusion. But anything other than a win for Germany would be up there with the biggest World Cup shocks of all time.”
I expect Curacao to be organised and to believe in what they’re doing – in the past, enough to beat Scotland. The shock here is that they managed to get the job done.
“The smallest country, but lots of fans in the Netherlands, writes Louise Devries. “Many of us have been in Curaçao. We know all the players as they (-1) were born here and play(ed) here. About 8 players wore the oranje shirt in youth selections. Chong was expected once to get in Oranje. Great to see him play in the WC. He is the one to watch.
Hup Blauwe Golf!”
Yes, Chong is the only player born on the island. He’s got some pace and trickery, and I guess it makes sense that he play centrally so they can get him on the ball as often as possible.
In other football news, it seems that Marc Cucurella is leaving Chelsea for Real Madrid. I’m a little surprised by that – he’s a decent player, but there are better left-backs around.
Here’s today’s Football Daily.
Email! “Tiny Curaçao has just 158,000 citizens, apparently,” says Justin Kavanagh. “So after tonight (assuming they throw on at least four subs), one in every 10,500 Curaçao’s will have played against Germany at a World Cup finals.”
It’s amazing isn’t it? With the expansion of the competition, Curaçao saw the glimmer of an opportunity, backed themselves by appointing first Guus Hiddink then Patrick Kluivert, and Advocaat finished the job. There’ll be a decent atmosphere on the island this lunchtime, I shouldn’t wonder.
Where is the game? It’s not easy to find an obvious weakness in Germany’s defensive set up, but both full-backs like to get forward and Kimmich can often be found inverting, so I’d be looking to target the space they leave. Otherwise, runs in behind the centre-backs that get them turned and facing their own goal might work, so too set-pieces.
Germany, meanwhile, will keep the ball moving, with Musiala and Wirtz looking to pick holes. I wonder if they might lack a bit of natural width, Wirtz not being a winger and Sane playing on the right, but they can always change things and look to put crosses in – they’ve got Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav on the bench, both of whom can change things.
Stop press: Wikipedia advises me Chong’s full name is Tahith Jose Girigorio Djorkaef Chong and yes, he is named after the Bolton legend, who his dad loved at Inter.
As for Curaçao, Advocaat has resisted the urge to go with a back five – it hamstrung South Africa against Mexico, for what thats worth – to match up against Germany. Leandro Bacuna, of course, played for Villa in the Premier League, while Tahith Chong, who played for Man United a few times and is now at Sheffield United.
Manuel Neuer, meanwhile, becomes Germany’s oldest World Cup player, coming out of international retirement at the age of 40. If I was Dick Advocaat, I’d be trying to put him under pressure as soon as possible.
Looking at the Germany team, it’s pretty much as expected. I might’ve gone with Antonio Rudiger not Jonathan Tah, but there’s some serious footballing chops in that back four while, in front of them, Aleksandar Pavlovic is a potential superstar. It’s a shame Lennart Karl is injured, but Jamal Musiala will be the creative hub, while the slower pace of international football – all the more so given the temperatures – might just suit Floran Wirtz, who has plenty to prove. And up front, though Kai Havertz isn’t everyone’s idea of a centre-forward, he’s a big-game player with the feet and cunning to bring those behind him into play.
Great news: Emma Hayes is in the ITV studio. There aren’t many better pundits, and she’s currently extolling Mauricio Pochettino who, for the first time since he was at Spurs, has players who fit his high-energy, ego-free style of football. I quite fancy USA to do well; don’t be surprised if they beat more vaunted opponents.
The teams
Germany (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown; Pavlovic, Nmecha; Sane, Musiala, Wirtz; Havertz. Subs: Baumann, Nubel, Rudiger, Anton, Goretzka, Leweling, Woltemade, Gross, Beier, Stiller, Amiri, Raum, Thiaw, Ouedraogo, Undav.
Curaçao (4-2-3-1): Room; Floranus, Bazoer, Obispo, Fonville; Comenencia, Leandro Bacuna; Hansen, Chong Juninho Bacuna; Locadia. Subs: Bodak, Doornbusch, Sambo, Gaari, van Eijma, Roemeratoe, Antonisse, Noslin, Gorre, Martha, Margaritha, Kuwas, Kastaneer, Brenet, Felida.
Referee: Jalal Jayed (Morocco)
Preamble
There’s a concept in Jewish practice and learning that we call “lishma”; for its own sake. Roughly, it means that, in their purest expression, commandments aren’t fulfilled and texts aren’t studied for performative purposes, nor for any kind of reward or benefit, but in pursuit of truth and connection with the divine.
You can feel a segue coming, right? Well, here it is: the group stage of this World Cup features 72 matches to eliminate just 16 teams, which means those of us with no financial interest in proceedings watch them knowing the majority have little bearing on who stays and who goes, never mind who lifts the trophy at the end. Rather, we’re here for the simple beauty of football and joy of the competition.
But what beauty and what joy! Curaçao have never previously qualified for this competition and now they have, they’re its smallest ever participant, by population – less than 160,000 – and area – 171 square miles. Dick Advocaat, their manager, left in February to look after his ill daughter, but happily her condition improved so he’s back at the helm; we can be certain his team will be organised and ready.
Germany, meanwhile, have endured a miserable time at the World Cup since winning it in 2014 – in both Russia and Qatar, they were eliminated in the group stages, losing to Mexico and South Korea, then Japan. This is not what is expected from or of Turniermannschaft, the tournament team and, with a blue-chip coach now in charge, they’ll surely improve on those that pair of embarrassments.
Whether they’ve the firepower to go all the way, though, remains to be seen. At the back, they look strong and in midfield, they’ve so many options it’s ridiculous, but up front, they lack a reliable scorer – though, given the creative brilliance of what’s behind, the retired and 48-year-old Miroslav Klose would probably have fancied himself to bag a few, even if his signature somersault is probably harder to perform.
That being the case, it’s hard to see any outcome here other than a convincing Germany win. But if Curaçao can start well, things might just get tense and, if they do, our attention will shift from enjoying whatever the game throws at us to contemplating one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history. And if that happens, celebrations in the south Caribbean will give the term “lishma” an entirely new aspect.
Kick-off: 12pm local, 1pm EDT, 6pm BST, 3am (Mon) AEST
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