The PuntHub view — Germany, unburdened
Germany have gone out in the group stage at two straight World Cups, and for once nobody is calling them favourites for anything. That should worry everyone else. Nagelsmann has stripped the squad back and built something simpler and nastier, and a German side with low expectations is historically the most dangerous kind.
Ecuador had the meanest defence in South American qualifying and will happily make this group boring. Ivory Coast won the 2024 AFCON and have the athletes to bother anyone. Curaçao are the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup, population about 150,000, and every neutral on earth just adopted them.
Verdict: Germany then Ecuador. Ivory Coast a decent shout for a third-place spot.
Standings
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2 | Curaçao | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 3 | Ivory Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 4 | Ecuador | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |