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Group E Preview

2014 World Cup winners Germany come in as heavy favourites to top Group E, but they haven’t had many fond memories of the competition since lifting the trophy. The Germans were eliminated in the group stages in 2018, and in 2022, so they will hope to buck that trend this year.

However, Germany have been drawn against some stubborn teams, who shouldn’t be underestimated. Ecuador finished second in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, above the likes of Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia. The only side who finished above Ecuador were the current World Cup holders, Argentina.

Ivory Coast also showed glimpses of their potential at AFCON, and they were unfortunate to be eliminated by Egypt in the quarter-finals. They easily finished top of their World Cup qualifying group, and Ivory Coast didn’t concede a single goal from their 10 matches.

Curacao are the massive underdogs in Group E, and the Caribbean side are the smallest country to ever qualify for the World Cup.

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🇩🇪 Germany

Germany have struggled for consistency on the international stage in recent years. They reached the Nations League semi-finals before being eliminated by Portugal, and prior to that were knocked out by Spain in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. 

Despite those setbacks, the Germans have pedigree in this competition, with four World Cup titles to their name. Only Brazil have won the World Cup more times. After two underwhelming tournaments, motivation will be higher than ever for the Germans to restore their status at the top, under the management of Julian Nagelsmann.

After an early hiccup in their qualifying campaign, losing 2-0 to Slovakia, Germany followed that up with five successive wins, with just one goal conceded in that time. They might not have been placed in the most difficult group, but it will nevertheless give them confidence heading into this World Cup.

Germany are the overwhelming favourites to top Group E, with Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador as their opponents - Julian Nagelsmann's side will expect to find the back of the net plenty of times in the group stages. 

With that being said, the main problem which has hindered Germany over the last few years has been the absence of a clear number one scoring option up front. Their goals are expected to be shared across their attacking players, which makes Florian Wirtz one to target. 

The Liverpool playmaker scored twice in five games for Germany at Euro 2024, before following that up with four goals in eight during the Nations League, making him the joint-top scorer for his national side. Wirtz is given a massive responsibility in the final third for Germany, and he will hope to make that count this summer. 

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🇪🇨 Ecuador

Ecuador are another side who have proven themselves to be a difficult team to penetrate, and they shipped just five goals in their 15 World Cup qualifying matches. That includes keeping clean sheets against Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay and Brazil, which underlines their ability to frustrate elite opposition. With Piero Hincapie and Willian Pacho at the back, and Moises Caicedo shielding them in midfield, Ecuador have a strong spine capable of absorbing pressure.

The South American side are comfortable sitting deep and playing on the counter, and they have shown an ability to grind out positive results. Ecuador have progressed beyond the World Cup group stages only once in their history, but they have a strong group of players here, and this seems like a real opportunity for them to make it far. Realistically, if Germany are to stutter at the start again, Ecuador will fancy their chances of topping Group E.

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🇨🇮 Ivory Coast

Amad Diallo was the standout performer for Ivory Coast at AFCON, contributing three goals and one assist in five appearances. There is notable quality throughout the Ivory Coast squad, including Premier League players such as Ibrahim Sangare and Evann Guessand, as well as Evan N’Dicka of Roma.

The potential concern is the lack of a focal point in attack. Sebastian Haller missed AFCON through injury, and during the qualifying stages Ivory Coast's top scorer was midfielder Seko Fofana with just three goals. 

However, Ivory Coast's defensive resilience is perhaps their greatest strength. They are a side who like to dominate possession, and they didn’t concede a single goal in their 10 qualifying matches. 

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🇨🇼 Curacao

Curacao were the shock inclusion at the 2026 World Cup, as they managed to overcome Jamaica to take top spot in their qualifying group. The Caribbean side went unbeaten in their six games, with 13 goals scored and three conceded, highlighting how they aren’t a side to be underestimated. 

After leading Curacao to their first ever World Cup, Dick Advocaat has stepped down as head coach due to personal issues, and Fred Rutten has replaced him for this tournament. His previous job was at PSV as caretaker manager, before being the assistant coach of Ruud van Nistelrooy. Curacao's most recognisable name is perhaps Tahith Chong, who currently plays for Sheffield United. After initially representing the Dutch youth sides, Chong has scored two goals in two appearances for Curacao.

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Team Previews

Best Free Bets, Offers & Betting Sites for World Cup 2026

The World Cup is the best time to create a new bookmaker account because the Bookmaker Offers are much better. Andy and the Andy's Bet Club experts have tried and tested the Free Bets and here's their favourites:

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* I recommend waiting for confirmed team line-ups before placing any bets.

* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing.