Germany Dropped 7 on the World Cup’s Smallest Nation — But One Midfielder Just Made Himself $60 Million

Curacao came to play. For 17 glorious minutes, the island nation of 150,000 people had Germany — a country with 83 million citizens and four World Cups — on the ropes. Livano Comenencia’s deflected strike in the 23rd minute tied the game at 1-1, and the minnows dared to dream of the biggest upset in tournament history.

Then the dam broke. And when it did, it took a Manchester United transfer target with it.

Germany’s 7-1 demolition of Curacao in their World Cup opener wasn’t just a statement of intent from Julian Nagelsmann’s attack. It was a coming-out party for Felix Nmecha, the 6-foot-3 Borussia Dortmund midfielder who opened the scoring with a slick one-two finish and later won the penalty that Kai Havertz converted to make it 3-1. By the time Nmecha nearly scored from an absurdly tight angle in the second half, his market value had already started climbing.

According to reports out of Germany, Manchester United have maintained contact with Nmecha’s camp ahead of a potential summer move. The 23-year-old signed a new deal with Dortmund in March that keeps him at the club through 2030, but multiple German outlets have indicated a release clause structure could make him available — with €80 million ($69 million) in 2027 dropping to €70 million ($60 million) in 2028. Dortmund, per other reports, would entertain offers in that £60 million range this summer.

After a performance like this one, they might want to reconsider the price tag.

Nmecha was everywhere. He drove from deep, popped up in the box, and showed quick feet that belie his frame. The Manchester City academy product spent the game proving why United manager Michael Carrick and INEOS have him on a shortlist of more affordable midfield targets alongside higher-profile names like Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali.

He wasn’t alone in shining. Florian Wirtz — Liverpool’s $100 million man who struggled in his first season at Anfield — delivered the kind of performance that reminded everyone why the Reds paid that fee. His casual drag-back assist for Nmecha’s opener was a masterclass in less-is-more football, and his weighted through ball to Leroy Sané later in the first half showed the vision that had gone missing for much of his Premier League campaign. New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola will hope this is the Wirtz he inherits.

Kai Havertz scored for the fourth consecutive major tournament, converting a penalty and later chipping the goalkeeper for Germany’s seventh. Nathanial Brown — reportedly headed to Bayern Munich this summer in a €55 million ($47 million) deal — slammed in a brilliant volley and generally terrorized the Curacao left flank.

But the margin of victory comes with an asterisk. Curacao is the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup, and FIFA’s expansion to 48 teams has created mismatches like this one. Emma Hayes called Germany’s performance “near perfection” on ITV, and Juan Mata labeled them a “strong candidate” to win it all. But critics will point to this game — where brief Curacao joy turned into a seven-goal rout — as evidence that Infantino’s expansion prioritizes revenue over competitive integrity.

Germany won’t care. They get Ivory Coast and Ecuador next in Group E. And if Nmecha keeps playing like this, he won’t be a Dortmund player much longer.