Germany open their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign tonight against debutants Curacao in what seems like a lopsided affair on paper.
Having lost out in the group stages of the last two World Cup editions, Die Mannschaft will be looking to pick up nothing less than three points to make a strong case for progression.
Head coach Julian Naglesmann is expected to field a strong XI for the Houston Stadium clash with all his key players available for selection.
One of the Borussia Dortmund stars likely to start tonight is Felix Nmecha, who made the cut into their starting lineup for pre-tournament friendlies against Finland and USA.
What Nmecha brings to Germany
A tall and dynamic box-to-box midfielder, Felix Nmecha is known for his technical ability and tactical intelligence. He brings immense energy to the midfield while possessing a knack for penetrating opposition lines instead of making simple sideway passes.
Nmecha uses his towering frame to shield the backline and remains a prolific ball-winner, having made 108 recoveries in the 2025-26 Bundesliga season for Borussia Dortmund; not to mention his aerial prowess too, with the 25-year-old registering almost 63% win rate from those situations.
Besides, he can also score from range having netted five times for the BVB last term while making another three assists as Nmecha can be a direct attacking threat too.
Nmecha's stats for Germany
Felix Nmecha represented both England and Germany in his international career at youth level but made his senior debut with Die Mannschaft in a 3-2 friendly loss to Belgium in March 2023.
However, his international career stalled right after that with Nmecha next featuring for Germany in November 2024 as he missed that year's European Championship on German soil.
Nmecha played in last year's UEFA Nations League semi-final loss to Portugal while making two more appearances in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier phase.
A torn knee ligament saw him miss both of Germany's March games as his World Cup participation was thrown in doubt, but Naglesmann said the door is still open for him.
The midfielder then made a strong finish to 2025-26 season with Dortmund that earned him a call-up and is now all set for his World Cup debut tonight.
Only five players in the current Germany squad have fewer caps than Nmecha's eight but Naglesmann sees great value in the player who could assume a bigger role for them in future.
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