SOCCER: Nagelsmann wants to keep German train on the move after big win

HOUSTON — Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann said he will not allow his players to become complacent after their commanding 7-1 victory over Curacao in a World Cup Group E match on Sunday, stressing that tougher challenges lie ahead if they are to advance deep into the tournament.

Germany were briefly tested after being held to 1-1 in the first half, but they responded strongly to lead 3-1 at the break before pulling away in a dominant second-half display to secure a statement win at the global tournament.

“It was a great start to the game, the first 15 minutes were fantastic,” Nagelsmann said. “We had many attempts. The equalizing goal from Curacao was unexpected, but it was fascinating to see how the team reacted to it.”

“Curacao played better than many people in Germany expected, and they played differently than before, with courage. It is not easy to score seven goals, so we are quite satisfied.”

Nagelsmann, however, emphasized that improvement is still needed despite the convincing scoreline.

“We are on the right path, but there are things we can do better, and we will have tougher opponents in the tournament,” he said.

The Germany coach noted that patience was key in the first half, but praised the intensity shown after the break—an approach he believes will be crucial if Germany are to compete for a fifth World Cup title.

“One team (Germany) has very high expectations and one (Curacao) doesn’t, and that is tricky. At 1-1 we had to be patient, and the team really wants to give 100%. We played with the right intensity. If we do that, we can have a good tournament,” he said.

“We really needed this convincing win and the confidence it will give us. That confidence was always there, but it has grown. It was important to show the people in Germany that we can perform.”

“After the game, there was a song from the German fans called ‘the train has no brakes.’ We will try to do that—keep going and going in this tournament.”

Germany next face Ivory Coast in Toronto on Saturday. -Reporting by Nick SaidEditing by Toby Davis/Reuters