World Cup 2023: US and Germany Aim for Perfect Group Stages

EAST RUTHERFORD, United States – The group stage is not over, but for some of the tournament’s heavyweights, Thursday already feels like a statement day.

On one side of the bracket, the United States and Germany walk in with six points from six, reputations restored and expectations rising. On the other, the likes of the Netherlands and Japan circle a place in the last 32, knowing one slip could drag them back into the pack.

This is the point in a World Cup when momentum starts to matter as much as mathematics.

US eye perfection – and a deeper run

The United States have already done the first part of their job. Two games, two wins, top of Group D secured with a match to spare after beating Paraguay and Australia. Now comes the question that always follows early qualification: protect legs or protect rhythm?

Turkey, already eliminated, await in Los Angeles. On paper, it is the softest fixture in the group. In reality, it is a trap for any side that eases off.

Mauricio Pochettino has decisions to make. Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams and Folarin Balogun all walk a tightrope, one yellow card away from missing the last 32. Rotating them is the logical move. Risking them is the emotional one.

Christian Pulisic, finally fit again, does not sound like a man interested in half measures. The forward has been limited to just 45 minutes so far because of a calf issue, but his message is clear: this is not the night to coast.

“Going into the knockout rounds will definitely feel better with a win, so that's why we're going to push for it,” he said. “It's an amazing opportunity... We don't necessarily need a win, but it's a World Cup game, and we all want to give our best and do well.”

The numbers say the US can afford a quiet evening. History says they cannot. They have not reached a World Cup quarter-final since 2002. A perfect group stage on home soil would not only sharpen belief inside the camp, it would send a message across the tournament: this team is not just here to host.

Behind them in Group D, the real tension lies in Santa Clara. Australia and Paraguay meet in what looks like a straight shootout for second place. A draw would tilt towards the Socceroos thanks to a superior goal difference, yet the likely permutations suggest both could still sneak through. It is the kind of game that can drift into caution, then explode in the final 20 minutes when someone realises the margin for error has vanished.

Germany shed their scars

Across in Group E, Germany have already exorcised some demons. Two World Cups, two first-round exits – a stain on a four-time world champion’s pride. This time, there is no early drama. Wins over Curacao and Ivory Coast have locked up top spot with a match to spare.

Julian Nagelsmann, though, is in no mood to declare the job done.

“I'm very happy that we're not at the end of our journey yet, but it is very important that we remain modest,” the Germany coach said. “We have won two matches, one was clear, one was very close. We want to win again tomorrow and we'll see who we play on Monday (in the last 32).”

The scars of 2018 and 2022 do not vanish in a week. They fade slowly, with each game navigated, each scare avoided. Germany’s final group assignment is an Ecuador side who know exactly what is at stake. They need a win to stay alive. Nothing else will do.

That desperation can be dangerous. It can also be draining. If Germany strike early, Ecuador will have to chase a team that still relishes transition football, still punishes space as ruthlessly as almost anyone.

Ivory Coast, meanwhile, sit in the slipstream, on course to finish second. They face Curacao, debutants who have already shown a stubborn streak by grinding out a 0-0 draw with Ecuador. Curacao remain in the mix, but this is a different kind of test: no longer the plucky spoiler, but a side that must find a way to win against a physically imposing, tournament-savvy opponent.

Group F chaos: Dutch and Japan in control, Sweden on the brink

If Group D and Group E feel ordered, Group F is anything but. The Netherlands, Japan and Sweden all walk into the final round with a chance to finish first. The margins are thin. The stakes are not.

In Kansas City, the Dutch face a Tunisia side in disarray. Tunisia have been torn apart in back-to-back games, conceding four goals in each, their campaign unravelling almost as soon as it began. A 5-1 defeat to Sweden cost Sabri Lamouchi his job. Herve Renard arrived as the emergency fix, the coach parachuted in to steady a freefall.

It has not worked. Japan then hammered Tunisia 4-0, a result that confirmed Tunisia’s elimination and underlined just how far they have fallen in a matter of days.

For the Netherlands, this is an opportunity they cannot afford to waste. Against a wounded opponent, a professional performance should secure top spot or, at the very least, keep them in prime position. Any slip, any complacency, and Group F’s delicate balance tilts towards Japan.

Japan, level on four points with the Dutch, meet Sweden in Arlington. It is a fixture loaded with narrative. Sweden opened their World Cup with a bang, then were ripped apart 5-1 by the Netherlands. That kind of defeat lingers. It challenges belief, exposes weaknesses, forces tactical questions.

Japan, by contrast, look composed and ruthless. Four past Tunisia, control in key moments, and the sense of a side comfortable in tournament football. Beat Sweden, and they are safely through, with a real shot at topping the group. Lose, and everything unravels in an instant.

Brazil and Morocco set the bar

While the final pieces of Groups D, E and F fall into place, Brazil have already moved on. They clinched first place in Group C on Wednesday, Vinicius Junior scoring twice in a 3-0 win over Scotland in Miami. The performance was authoritative. The subplot was just as significant: Neymar’s first international appearance since October 2023.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team now know what awaits. They will face the runners-up from Group F, a reward that could yet throw up the Netherlands, Japan or Sweden. None of them will relish that draw. Brazil have not only collected points; they have sent a familiar warning.

Morocco, edged into second on goal difference despite finishing level with Brazil on seven points, will take on the Group F winners. Their route there was anything but straightforward. Twice they trailed against Haiti, twice they clawed their way back, eventually winning 4-2. It was a performance built on resilience as much as quality.

Scotland, beaten by Brazil and left to count the cost of that defeat, now sit in limbo. Their fate rests on the broader mathematics of the tournament, waiting to see if their haul is enough to rank among the eight best third-placed teams. For a side that has fought to stay relevant on this stage, the wait will feel agonisingly long.

Mexico soar, South Africa shock, Switzerland steady

If there was any doubt about Mexico’s appetite as co-hosts, it evaporated in Mexico City. A 3-0 win over the Czech Republic at an ebullient Estadio Azteca wrapped up a flawless Group A campaign and booked a last-32 tie in the same iconic arena. That continuity matters. Familiar surroundings, familiar noise, and a fanbase that now expects this team to go beyond the usual ceiling.

The real jolt in Group A came elsewhere. South Africa, never before in the knockout rounds, stunned South Korea 1-0 to snatch second place and write a new chapter in their football history. One goal, one result, and decades of frustration suddenly look different.

Group B delivered a more predictable hierarchy but no less intensity. Switzerland edged Canada 2-1 in Vancouver to secure top spot, a result that showcased their ability to manage tight games under pressure. Bosnia-Herzegovina joined them in the last 32, beating Qatar 3-1 and claiming one of the coveted third-place berths.

By the end of Thursday, the bracket will be clearer, the storylines sharper. The United States and Germany can turn a strong start into something more ominous. The Netherlands, Japan and Sweden will learn whether their World Cup is about to open up or close down.

The group stage is almost done. The real tournament is about to begin.