By Emily Green and Herbert Villarraga

TIJUANA, Mexico, June 14 (Reuters) – Some 25 miles (40 km) south of the U.S.-Mexico border, nestled between taquerias in the suburbs of Tijuana, hangs a flag in the Mexican colors of green, white and red. But its design is far from common in these parts.

Advertisement

Inside is what owner Saied Assadi says is only the second Iranian restaurant ‌in all of Mexico. “Food is one of my passions,” he said when Reuters visited this week, as he served up a traditional Iranian platter of rice, grilled tomatoes, mixed meats and salad.

But not ‌all Iranians in the area are eager to visit Assadi’s restaurant.

The Iranian community in Tijuana only numbers about 20 people – out of a city population of some 2 million. Even in this tiny community, however, differing politics epitomize the split in the diaspora and the challenges ​facing the Iranian team on the eve of their World Cup campaign.

Dara Makoipour, an Iranian who moved to Tijuana in 2018, is put off by the flags that decorate Assadi’s restaurant. “We have different views,” said Makoipour, who prefers to cross the border to eat at Iranian restaurants in California.

Advertisement

Featuring a lion and sun motif, the flag decorating Assadi’s restaurant was Iran‘s national flag before the 1979 revolution and is associated with the country’s previous Shah-led government. It has become a subject of controversy ahead of the World Cup, as supporters attempting to take it into stadiums may breach FIFA rules restricting political paraphernalia.

In the 2022 Qatar World Cup, security denied entry to fans carrying the flag.

Asked about Iranians ‌who find the flag off-putting, Assadi said: “Whether that person wants to come eat ⁠Iranian food or not because of the flag, that’s his choice. Some people are extremists.”

But there is something that unites Makoipour and Assadi, and that is their support for Iran’s soccer team, known colloquially as Team Melli, or “national team” in Persian.

Advertisement

TIJUANA: AN UNUSUAL CHOICE

Uncertain about whether the U.S. would issue the team visas with the two countries at ⁠war, the Iranian squad announced last month it was relocating its training base from Arizona to Tijuana.

The selection made some sense. This Mexican border city is relatively close to the team’s group-stage games in Los Angeles and Seattle, and Mexico was happy to host.

Still, for a squad representing a country where alcohol is banned and women are required to wear hijabs, a city famed for strip clubs and gambling dens was a bold choice.

If the team had doubts, they seemed to be ​assuaged ​by the warm welcome they received from supporters when they arrived at 5 a.m. last Sunday, nearly four hours behind schedule. ​Since then, a small number of fans have gathered outside the hotel every day ‌seeking autographs.

Advertisement

“Tijuana and especially the Mexican people – they’ve been amazing,” Iran national soccer player Saeid Ezzatollahi told Reuters.

So far, Team Melli hasn’t ventured far. They are traveling with a private chef, Mexican soldiers guard their hotel, and their only excursions have been by chartered bus to a nearby stadium to train.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

The Iranian community in Tijuana is so small it doesn’t even register on the census – a stark difference from nearby Los Angeles, which boasts the largest Iranian community outside of Iran.

But Sadegh Galavi said he felt immediately at home when he and his wife visited in 2022 from Tehran.

Advertisement

“Literally, we fell in love with Mexico,” he said. “And then Tijuana makes me feel that there is a lot of opportunity to work, to do many things, to build a life.”

Galavi found a job after seeing a car on the street with vanity plates that read TEHRAN. He left a ‌note on the windshield; the owner turned out to be Makoipour. Galavi is now a mechanic for an auto restoration business ​Makoipour owns.

Makoipour and Galavi were ecstatic when they heard the team was coming to Tijuana.

“As long as the other side” – the U.S. – “doesn’t ​give them a hard time, the rest is going to be easy peasy,” Makoipour said.

Advertisement

FIRST MATCH

On ​Sunday, the team will travel by private plane to Los Angeles one day ahead of their first World Cup match, against New Zealand.

Support staff and soccer federation members denied U.S. ‌visas will stay behind, including the team supervisor, analysts and press liaison.

The U.S. ​State Department has said it will not allow the Iranian ​team to “abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the U.S. under false pretenses.”

Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, responded that the Trump administration believes “anybody who doesn’t think the same as them is a terrorist.”

Advertisement

The Iranian flag remains a flashpoint. A California non-profit has filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent any restrictions on bringing the pre-revolutionary flag into stadiums, under freedom of expression protections.

FIFA previously directed Reuters to its ​stadium code of conduct, in which it prohibits any flags “of a political, offensive ‌and/or discriminatory nature.” FIFA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit.

Assadi, whose restaurant displays that flag, said he believes the Islamic Republic is “not giving people the freedom” ​they deserve.

But he will be cheering the national team on Monday, regardless of his – and the team’s – political views.

Advertisement

“Pretty much everyone in Iran plays soccer,” he said. “I hope all Iranians will ​support the team as soccer players.”

(Reporting by Emily Green and Herbert Villarraga; Editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Rosalba O’Brien)

Another quartet of World Cup games is on tap for Sunday, June 14, with major stars set to take the field. On the schedule is Germany vs. Curacao at 1 p.m. ET, Netherlands vs. Japan at 4 p.m., Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador at 7 p.m. and Sweden vs. Tunisia at 10. That means fans have four matches’ worth of soccer betting opportunities, and we’ve identified anytime goalscorer prop picks at FanDuel for each one.

For more World Cup picks, including outright winners, spread picks and totals, you should check out the picks from SportsLine experts like Jon Eimer, Martin Green and Brad Thomas. Anyone following their World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Best World Cup goalscorer picks for Sunday

• Kai Havertz, Germany (-170, FanDuel)
• Donyell Malen, Netherlands (+190, FanDuel)
• Yan Diomande, Ivory Coast (+450, FanDuel)
• Viktor Gyokeres, Sweden (+150, FanDuel)

Kai Havertz, Germany (-170, FanDuel)

Germany having questions at forward is something of a running theme. That being said, there are plenty of teams in this tournament that would love to have Havertz up top. He showed his quality in the Champions League final when he scored an extremely difficult goal from a tight angle, and he will be tasked with leading the line for a German side that has aspirations of making a deep run. With all due respect to Curacao, this is a team Havertz and his teammates should make light work of.

Donyell Malen, Netherlands (+190, FanDuel)

A move from Aston Villa to Roma at midseason seemed to finally unlock Malen’s potential. He hammered home 14 goals in 18 matches after his switch to Serie A and firmly earned his place on the plane for the Dutch team. While Villa utilized him as a second striker or in-cutting right winger, Malen was firmly Roma’s lead striker. He’ll mostly be operating as a winger again for the Netherlands, but manager Ronald Koeman will know how to get the most out of the dynamic forward. He may very well be the team’s most exciting offensive option.

Yan Diomande, Ivory Coast (+450, FanDuel)

You might hear Dimonde’s name a lot this summer. The 18-year-old just broke out in a huge way for RB Leipzig with 12 goals and eight assists. He’s a blazing speedster and displays technical ability far beyond it’s years. It’s why the top Premier League teams are trying to sign Diomande — he’s been heavily linked to Liverpool, among others. Ecuador’s defense is formidable, but if anyone has the fire to break through, it’s Diomande.

Viktor Gyokeres, Sweden (+150, FanDuel)

With Alexander Isak’s fitness still a major variable, the Swedish attack is likely to be centered around Gyokeres. His move to Arsenal this past season may not have resulted in the lofty highs many dreamed of, sure, but he still scored 14 goals and won the Premier League. It’s hard to imagine that Sweden’s goalscoring output will depend as heavily on set pieces as Arsenal, so Gyokeres should have more to feast on — especially against a Tunisia team that isn’t expected to go far. 

Liverpool may be ‘reluctantly’ prepared to offload one of their most-used players from the 2025/26 season, according to one transfer insider.

Alexis Mac Allister recently marked the three-year anniversary of his transfer to the Reds from Brighton, but his future has been the subject of speculation over the past few weeks.

DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY

Paul Joyce has written of the ‘doubt’ over the 27-year-old’s future at Anfield amid the absence of contract negotiations (when other 2023 signings were in talks or had already agreed new deals), while Fabrizio Romano claimed during the week that other clubs are ‘starting to look at’ the midfielder’s situation.

Advertisement

Liverpool ‘could reluctantly cash in on’ Mac Allister

Speaking on the latest Transfer Insider podcast for Football Insider, Pete O’Rourke named the Argentine as one player who Liverpool may be willing to sell during the summer, if they need to raise funds for prospective signings of their own.

The reporter said: “Liverpool have to wheel and deal in the market this summer to try and raise some cash to boost their own transfer kitty.

“Mac Allister is somebody that they could reluctantly cash in on. He still has good value and is a World Cup winner, so if he goes and has a good World Cup again this month, then that’ll obviously maybe bring other teams to the table as well.

“Liverpool, right now, are looking to strengthen rather than weaken the squad, but if they are needing to sell players, Mac Allister could be one of those that could be sacrificed.”

Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

Advertisement

Mac Allister still has plenty to offer at Liverpool

Like many of his teammates at Anfield, the 27-year-old endured a drastic decline in form in the 2025/26 campaign compared to the previous season, and his current market valuation is among the highest of any Liverpool player according to Transfermarkt.

If FSG were to receive any signals that he might be prepared to leave this summer, that could potentially make the hierarchy more amenable to offers from elsewhere for the Reds’ fifth most-used player of last term (Transfermarkt).

However, one underwhelming campaign doesn’t change the truth that Mac Allister is a top-class midfielder who’s one of the world’s best players in his position when he’s operating at his highest level, and he has it in him to come up with clutch moments for his team.

Advertisement

It was his goal which secured a memorable win over Real Madrid last November, and he also netted the stoppage-time winner at Nottingham Forest in February, a crucial result in ultimately qualifying us for the Champions League.

Hopefully Liverpool won’t feel obligated to sell the Argentine this summer and he can bounce back to his best levels under Andoni Iraola next term.

Former NFL defensive end Aldon Smith has died at the age of 36.

The San Francisco 49ers, who selected Smith as the seventh pick of the 2011 Draft, confirmed his death, but the cause has not been revealed.

Smith spent four seasons with the 49ers, helping them to three NFC Championship Games, and a season apiece with the Oakland Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys.

He played 75 regular-season games in his career and retired in 2023.

“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith,” read a 49ers statement.

“Aldon’s undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field were on display from the moment he joined our organisation, having recorded one of the best rookie seasons the National Football League has seen.

“Beyond his excellence as a player, Aldon will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into.”

Smith was named in the NFL’s all-rookie team in 2011 after registering the second-most sacks (14) by a rookie in a single season since 1982.

The following season he was selected for the Pro Bowl and earned first-team All-Pro honours.

However, his career was disrupted by off-field issues, with multiple arrests on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI), possessing illegal weapons, and domestic violence.

Smith was suspended in 2014 after violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy before being released by the 49ers in 2015 following a DUI arrest.

Joining the Raiders later that year, he made only nine appearances before receiving an indefinite suspension for substance abuse.

He missed the 2016 and 2017 campaigns and was released by the Raiders in 2018.

Smith returned to the NFL with the Cowboys in 2020 – he made 16 starts – and had a fourth-month stint with the Seattle Seahawks in 2021 without making an appearance.

Qatar‘s Boualem Khoukhi stunned Switzerland with a late equaliser as the sides played out a 1-1 draw in their opening match at the World Cup on Saturday.

A Breel Embolo penalty had broken the deadlock for Switzerland early in the first half in the San Francisco Bay Area, before the wasteful favourites were made to pay as Qatar earned their first ever point at a World Cup.

Qatar, appearing in just their second finals after hosting the 2022 World Cup, looked rusty after the war in the Middle East caused the cancellation of two of their warm-up friendlies, meaning their meeting with Switzerland was just their third match since December last year.

And for the majority of the match they were outclassed as Switzerland racked up 26 shots, before 35-year-old Khoukhi’s header four minutes into injury time sparked wild celebrations on the Qatar bench.

For their boss Julen Lopetegui, it was also a landmark moment as he coached his first World Cup match.

Read moreWorld Cup co-hosts US thrash Paraguay in dominant Group D opener

The 59-year-old had been set to guide his native Spain at the 2018 edition in Russia, but was sacked days before the start of the tournament after it was announced he had agreed to take over Real Madrid after the World Cup.

The Swiss are seeking to progress to the knockout stages for the fourth consecutive World Cup but their inability to kill off a match they dominated will worry coach Murat Yakin.

Manuel Akanji offered Qatar the first big chance of the match in just the second minute as his defensive lapse sent Edmilson Junior through, but he could only shoot tamely at Gregor Kobel.

94th minute equaliser

That let-off woke up the Swiss, who were awarded a penalty on 13 minutes as goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada clattered into Remo Freuler, despite a suspicion of offside, and after a four-minute stoppage Embolo sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot.

The rest of the opening period was one-way traffic towards the Qatar box but Edmilson nearly caught the Swiss cold just before half-time, drawing a right-footed save from Kobel at the end of a rare foray forward.

Read moreFather of three seized by ICE at FIFA match last summer warns immigrant fans of danger

Under a blazing Californian sun the chances dried up in the second period with the most notable moments a Granit Xhaka drive from distance that whizzed narrowly over the bar and an Embolo poke that nestled in the side netting.

But ultimately Switzerland were made to pay for their profligacy as Khoukhi powered in at the back post to bullet home a 94th-minute equaliser.

Switzerland next play Bosnia on Thursday in Los Angeles, while Qatar meet co-hosts Canada in Vancouver on the same day.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

ATLANTA, GA – The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here, and fans across North America are ready to cheer on their favorite teams.

And many young soccer fans will get the chance to cheer on those teams while standing on the grandest stage itself.

At every World Cup game, children between the ages of 6 and 10 will escort players onto the field before kickoff.

It’s a tradition that dates back to 2002, when UNICEF and FIFA partnered for the “Say Yes for Children” campaign.

SCOTTISH FANS DRANK EVERY BEER ON FLIGHT TO U.S. AHEAD OF WORLD CUP

This year, FIFA’s breakfast sponsor, but also the sponsor for the player escort program, is Quaker Oats. 

“Together, we teamed up with 30+ community organizations across 11 United States host cities to give 1,400 young people from underserved communities the chance to walk players onto the pitch,” Quaker says in a press release.

In Atlanta, that community organization chosen for all eight World Cup games, is Soccer in the Streets. A nonprofit giving kids across the greater Atlanta area a chance to learn about soccer no matter their economic or social status. 

Soccer in the Streets is the official sponsor for player escorts at the World Cup games in Atlanta, GA. (Chelsea Torres)

This year alone, 2,500 kids will benefit from Soccer in the Streets programs. 

“Access starts with making it free for all kids so that no one is, has a barrier of cost to playing this beautiful game,” says Soccer in the Streets Executive Director Kaseem Ladipo.

Ladipo says with a partnership with Common Goal, another national organization, their free inner-city soccer league, StationSoccer is the official player escort at the World Cup games in Atlanta. 

FIFA IMPLEMENTS MANDATORY WATER BREAKS

Under StationSoccer, each soccer field is conveniently located near six different train stations across Atlanta.  

150 kids from the nonprofit Soccer in the Streets will get to escort players at all eight World Cup games at Atlanta Stadium. (Chelsea Torres)

Ladipo says 150 of their players will be escorting players at the eight games at Atlanta Stadium.

“They’ll have an opportunity to be hand in hand with a FIFA legend or soon-to-be FIFA legend.”

WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE

Two of those 150 play at the West End location. 

“It’s definitely turned our household into a football household,” says Erica Holloman-Hill, a mom of four boys who play for StationSoccer. 

Erica says she’s still learning about the sport, but says her boys playing in this free league has helped them grow in more ways than she imagined. 

The youngest, Asun, is 8. Then Asir, 10; Asad, 12 and the oldest, Asim, 14. Erica named them the “A-team.”

Mom of four, Erica Holloman-Hill sits with her four boys and nephew at the StationSoccer — West End location.  (Chelsea Torres)

When asked what their favorite part of playing with each other is, Asad immediately said, “we get to teach each other skills, and we get to see how good they are.”

Erica tells FOX when she first heard about the vision for StationSoccer, she was hesitant. But now her four boys are going strong two years in. 

And with the world’s largest tournament in their backyard, her two youngest sons will get a chance of a lifetime. 

Under the Quaker Oats partnership, Asun and Asir were chosen to attend a ‘Breakfast Academy’ hosted by Quaker. 

“We learned a lot of things about the fine grains, whole grains, half grains, water, fruit and all the other stuff,” says Asun. 

After learning about nutrition and showing great leadership on and off the pitch, Asun and his brother Asir, were selected to walk alongside players at the South Africa vs Czechia game on June 18th at Atlanta Stadium. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Asir says he’s excited, but also, “a little bit kind of nervous because I never escorted anyone.”

He says every day he’s thinking about being on the pitch, but even when he’s not awake. 

“I think about it in my sleep, too.”

Ben Kohles rose six days ago in Greenville, S.C. with a dream.

In the next three days, he thought, he’d have ample opportunity to see at least one of his golf dreams realized. Probably through a victory at that afternoon’s BMW Charity Pro-Am, where Kohles awoke with a healthy lead . But maybe through U.S. Open Final Qualifying in Maryland on Monday afternoon, where he was scheduled to play.

The whirlwind that has followed in the last six days has proved so totally disorienting, so remarkable, that Kohles never even considered the possibility he’d wake less than seven days later having achieved both of those dreams. And if that’s true, it’s impossible to believe he saw this weekend coming, where Kohles finds himself contending for his first-ever PGA Tour victory.

I mean, how could he have seen it coming? Six days ago, he wasn’t in the field.

So what happened to take Kohles from there to here, rising on Saturday morning T14 at the RBC Canadian Open? Well, it all started on Sunday evening at the BMW Charity Pro-Am, where the latest sign of Kohles’ resurgence as a 35-year-old touring pro arrived in the form of a four-shot victory. As Kohles collected his hardware, Korn Ferry Tour camera crews were rolling as he sprang into motion: Literally running from the trophy ceremony to his car, where a 90-minute drive up to Charlotte International Airport and a short flight to Washington-Reagan Airport awaited.

Kohles made his flight and arrived in Rockville, Maryland — the site of Monday’s final qualifying effort — late on Sunday night. With adrenaline still riding high, he grabbed a few choppy hours of sleep. He woke the next morning before 6 in order to make it to the golf course in time for his 8:32 a.m. tee time, and soon after, began the all-day test of guts that is U.S. Open Final Qualifying.

He might not have felt it, but Kohles’ game traveled with him to Woodmont Country Club, where he fired a 7 under score over 36 holes to clinch the second of four qualifying spots for the U.S. Open. He hustled into the scorer’s tent to the side of the range at Woodmont shortly after 7:30 p.m. — 11 hours after his opening round began — and then made a quick call back home to share the good news: It was time to book travel for Shinnecock.

“I feel like my head is still spinning,” he said. “It’s easily the craziest 24-hour stretch of my golf life.”

With his qualifying result settled, Kohles quickly jumped into action again: This time boarding a flight from Maryland up to Toronto, where he was one of the alternates for the RBC Canadian Open.

“It’s obviously not too far from next week up here, so I thought I would have a pretty good chance to get in on Monday or Tuesday,” Kohles said. “No one really withdrew.”

Eventually, on Wednesday, the phone call came — Kohles was one of the final alternates into the field at TPC Toronto. He picked up right where he left off on Thursday, firing an opening-round 67 to put himself in the mix heading into Friday. Then, his exhaustion caught up with a second-round 71. On Saturday, though, Kohles locked into form — shooting a bogey-free, five-birdie, third-round 65 to vault himself to 7 under for the tournament, good for T14 as of the time of this writing.

It was, not counting practice rounds, Kohles sixth competitive round in the last six days. Five of them have come in under par.

Time will tell of Kohles’ third-round effort was enough to push him into legitimate contention come Sunday afternoon in Toronto. But there is little doubt he’ll be playing for a hefty paycheck by the time the balls get in the air.

Come Sunday evening, there might be time for a few minutes of reflection of all the good that has come into his life over this one truly wild week. But not too many of them.

He’s due in Shinnecock on Monday.

For Germany, Sunday’s opening Group E match against Curacao is supposed to be the start of a redemption story.

For Curacao, it is already history.

When the two teams walk onto the pitch in Houston, one will carry the weight of four World Cup titles and a legacy built over nearly a century of football excellence. The other will represent an island of just 158,000 people making its World Cup debut and becoming the smallest nation ever to compete at football’s biggest tournament.

The contrast could hardly be starker.

Yet that is precisely what makes the fixture one of the most intriguing opening-round matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Germany arrive with a point to prove

Few nations have experienced the highs and lows of international football quite like Germany.

The four-time world champions enter the tournament seeking to restore their standing after suffering group-stage exits in both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. For a nation accustomed to challenging for titles, those failures remain fresh wounds.

Under coach Julian Nagelsmann, Germany appear to be rebuilding momentum.

The Germans arrive on a nine-match winning run, including a 4-0 victory over Finland and a 2-1 win against World Cup co-hosts the United States in their final warm-up fixtures.

“We aren’t among the absolute top favourites — there are three or four others,” said Germany national team director Rudi Voeller.

“The two wins from our last two friendlies give us a good feeling and we want to maintain that here.

“There is no guarantee if you win the first game that is the way the tournament will go for you. We have to go through the group as the top team, there is no discussion about that, it’s our goal.

“But we know how important an opening win is. We are here and want to be a team that is difficult to beat. We want to top our group and then assert ourselves in the knockout stage.”

Any result other than victory would immediately raise uncomfortable questions back home.

The smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup

While Germany are chasing a fifth title, Curacao are simply embracing the moment.

The former Dutch colony, located in the southern Caribbean Sea, has a population of around 158,000 — smaller than many towns around the world.

On Sunday, it will become the smallest nation ever to play at a FIFA World Cup.

For a country that is not recognised independently at the Olympics and often sees its sporting talent represent the Netherlands internationally, qualification itself has been a landmark achievement.

The squad features players who largely ply their trade in the Netherlands and lower European leagues, but that has done little to dampen belief inside the camp.

“We are not here to just be here,” midfielder Ar’jany Martha said. “We want to show ourselves and get good results.”

Defender Livano Comenencia described the squad’s close bond.

“I (would describe us) as one big family. If you see us on the bus or outside the bus, in the hotel, we are always with music, always happy. Everybody is around each other.”

Dick Advocaat’s final World Cup chapter?

If Curacao’s players are making history, so too is their coach.

At 78, Dick Advocaat will become the oldest coach in World Cup history when he takes charge against Germany.

The Dutchman has previously managed the Netherlands and South Korea at World Cups and brings decades of international experience to football’s grandest stage.

His opposite number could hardly be more different.

At 38, Nagelsmann is the youngest coach at the tournament.

The 40-year age gap between the two managers is the largest ever recorded at a World Cup.

Despite the disparity, both coaches have expressed admiration for one another.

“I think he’s a really cool coach,” Nagelsmann said of Advocaat.

“I think it’s really cool and a great compliment for his work. I got to know him a few times and he’s always kind. As a young coach I always can learn from people like him.”

Advocaat returned the compliment.

“He must have something special and he has that otherwise he wouldn’t be the coach of the national team,” he said. “He’s an excellent coach.”

  Neuer’s return adds experience

Germany have received another boost ahead of the opener.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has recovered from a calf injury and is set to start.

The Bayern Munich captain is the only remaining member of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad and will make his fifth World Cup appearance, equalling the German record held by Lothar Matthäus.

Nagelsmann believes the veteran goalkeeper remains central to Germany’s ambitions.

“(He’s) definitely fit enough to start the game and he got better and better,” Nagelsmann said.

“He didn’t really have the rhythm, but now he found the rhythm. He played a lot, we trust him a lot and I think in order to have a good World Cup, we need Manuel in top performance and I think he can bring that.”

The 40-year-old’s presence could prove invaluable for a squad featuring several players making their World Cup debuts.  A mismatch on paper

The numbers heavily favour Germany.

Germany’s squad includes established stars such as Kai Havertz, Florian Wirtz and Neuer, while Curacao are appearing at the tournament for the first time.

The two nations have never met in an international match.

That unfamiliarity offers one of the few unknown variables heading into the contest.

Everything to win, nothing to lose

Advocaat is realistic about the challenge awaiting his players.

“Germany are of course clear favourites in the group,” he said.

“They are still a big footballing country. Starting off against Germany is fantastic. We will find out immediately where we stand.”

The veteran coach also believes the pressure lies firmly with Germany.

“We are a minor, very small country compared to Germany and we’re going to make life very difficult for them.

“We’re going to be a very unpleasant team to play.”

That mentality has shaped Curacao’s approach throughout qualifying and now accompanies them into the biggest match in their history.

For Germany, Sunday is about avoiding another World Cup stumble and launching a title challenge.

For Curacao, it is about proving that football’s greatest tournament still has room for dreamers.

Whatever the outcome, when the whistle blows in Houston, one of the most remarkable underdog stories of World Cup 2026 will officially begin.