Julian Nagelsmann said Germany's 7-1 win against World Cup debutants Curacao on Sunday will grow his charges' self-belief as they seek a fifth title.
Since lifting the World Cup for the fourth time in their history 12 years ago in Brazil, Germany have struggled on football's biggest stage and failed to progress beyond the group stage at the last two editions.
"We really need this self confidence. I think it grew, it was definitely there but it grew," Nagelsmann said after Germany thrashed Curacao to record their first opening-match win at a World Cup since 2014.
Stiffer tests than the tiny Caribbean nation against Ecuador and Ivory Coast lie in wait for the Germans in Group E, but Nagelsmann said that his side's "intensity" against Curacao boded well for the rest of the competition.
"I'm very satisfied with us scoring seven goals and our performance for the most part," the 38-year-old said. "A winning start is always important and we're glad we managed it.
"We played with the right intensity. I think we can have a good tournament."
In Houston, an early German goal by Felix Nmecha was cancelled out by a deflected strike from Livano Comenencia.
However, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz with a double, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav scored to put to bed any possibility of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.
Nagelsmann added that his side dealt well with the pressure of being overwhelming favourites against Curacao.
"The team was not nervous," he said.
"When you write it down Curacao had easier conditions, I think we do have high quality, one team has high expectation and the other does not. And that is a bit tricky."
Germany next play 2023 Africa Cup of Nations champions Ivory Coast in Toronto on Saturday.
--------------------------------
Where to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026â„¢
Fans can watch every FIFA World Cup 2026â„¢ match live on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access. All matches are also available to stream on supported packages, ensuring flexible viewing options wherever you are.
How to stream the FIFA World Cup 2026â„¢
With DStv Stream, you can follow every match anytime, anywhere. Download the app and enjoy seamless live streaming on the go.

