Gazeta Lodz - Germany enter World Cup Group E with score to settle

Since Mario Goetze's extra-time winner at the Maracana in the 2014 final, perennial World Cup contenders Germany have had a miserable time of it on football's biggest stage.

Their title defence in Russia in 2018 ended with a bottom-place finish in their group, before their campaign in Qatar four years later hit the rocks at the same stage.

Germany have won just two World Cup games since lifting the trophy in Rio de Janeiro, against Sweden and then Costa Rica.

Standing between Julian Nagelsmann's charges and a return to the knockout stages at the 2026 edition in Group E are 2023 Africa Cup of Nations champions Ivory Coast, Ecuador and World Cup debutants Curacao.

Since 38-year-old Nagelsmann took over Germany two years ago, he has overseen an upturn in their fortunes, spearheaded by extravagant youthful talents such as Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, as well as experienced stalwarts like Joshua Kimmich and Antonio Rudiger.

They reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on home soil and then made it to the last four in the UEFA Nations League the following year, falling on both occasions to the eventual winners of the respective tournaments, Spain and Portugal.

- Elephants, Blue Wave, Tricolor -

Germany's biggest threat in Group E will likely be Ivory Coast as the Elephants return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

Long gone is the glorious generation of Didier Drogba and the Toure brothers, Yaya and Kolo, but Emerse Fae's current squad nonetheless boasts some mercurial talents such as Nicolas Pepe, Amad Diallo and Wilfried Zaha.

After a disappointing AFCON title defence this winter, which was curtailed at the last-eight stage by Egypt, Ivory Coast enter their fourth World Cup finals with probably their best chance yet of making the knockout stages after three consecutive third-placed finishes between 2006 and 2014.

Caribbean island nation Curacao will appear for the first time at the global showpiece after emerging unbeaten from CONCACAF qualifying.

Since becoming the smallest nation ever to make a World Cup, their momentum has stalled somewhat as Curacao crashed to consecutive defeats against China and Australia in warm-up friendlies in March.

The Blue Wave must also make their World Cup bow without the man who guided them there after veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat departed his role for family reasons and has been replaced at the Curacao helm by compatriot Fred Rutten.

Ecuador qualified for the tournament by finishing second in South American qualifying, ahead of Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia, meaning they certainly won't be there just to make up the numbers at this extended 48-team World Cup.

R.Zakrzewski--GL