Ecuador have reached the last chance saloon where only a win against Germany on matchday three will be enough to extend their World Cup journey into the knockout stage realistically. Julian Nagelsmann's side have already qualified from Group E with a game to spare, but will want to avoid defeat to ensure they finish top of the table.
These two nations' paths have crossed at the World Cup before, almost 20-years-ago to this very day, and Germany claimed a win-to-nil on that occasion. Germany have looked strong without being at their very best when securing their two opening wins against Curacao and the Ivory Coast, scoring nine goals and conceding two.
Ecuador headed into the 2026 World Cup with a fantastic defensive record, which helped them qualify, and while that defensive solidity still appears to be intact, they have yet to score a goal in the group stage. This won't come as too much of a surprise to anyone who has been watching Ecuador of late, as the South Americans have failed to score in seven of their last 11 international matches.
The surprise hero for Germany so far in this World Cup has been the Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav. The former Brighton player is yet to start a game at the 2026 World Cup, yet he leads the way in goal contributions, having scored three times and provided two assists in Germany's opening two matches. Surely the 29-year-old has done enough to earn a place in the starting lineup against Ecuador, especially given the fact that his country has already qualified.
Ecuador 0-1 Germany
