The smallest nation by both size and population ever to participate in a WC were already significant outsiders against the 2014 champions, but it took less than six minutes for any kind of result for Curacao to look nigh on impossible.
Germany showed their class with Felix Nmecha playing a cool one-two with Florian Wirtz to enter the area, taking on a first-time shot with his right foot to curl inside the far post.
But Dick Advocaat had guided this group of trailblazers here via a stunning qualification campaign in which they were the top scorers in CONCACAF, and they once again defied the odds to send a small island into pandemonium.
After a rapid counter, Nico Schlotterbeck could only clear as far as an arriving Livano Comenencia, whose powerful strike deflected into the net beyond Manuel Neuer’s reach.
Aiming to make amends and break Caribbean hearts, Schlotterbeck soon forced Eloy Room to tip his header over the bar, but he made no mistake the second time around.
The Borussia Dortmund defender darted across the box to meet Nathaniel Brown’s near-post corner, glancing it past a helpless Room.
And things got worse for Advocaat’s side before half time when Riechedly Bazoer fouled Nmecha in the box, resulting in a penalty kick which Kai Havertz rolled into the corner.
Germany had their tails up on the restart, and widened the gap when Joshua Kimmich played in Jamal Musiala, who brilliantly found the far bottom corner from a tight angle.
A Nmecha effort onto the bar and Leroy Sane’s one-on-one miss threatened a fifth, which eventually came when Deniz Undav flicked it on for Brown to guide into the net and become the latest Germany player to score his first WC goal.
And Undav added himself to that list by tapping in Kimmich’s ball across the box with 10 minutes to play, with Curacao now looking totally off the pace.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side completed the onslaught late on with Undav sending Havertz away to chip over the goalkeeper.
It’s not quite Brazil, but the 7-1 scoreline will nevertheless instill confidence of making the knockout stages for the first time since 2014, and may even put them back among the favourites to lift the trophy.
Veteran head coach Advocaat will be lauded regardless of the outcome of this tournament, but there was a clear gulf in quality here which won’t be much narrower in Curacao’s upcoming matches against Ecuador and the Ivory Coast.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany)
