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Neuer & Svanberg make history as Japan showcase grit: Four things you may have missed from World Cup matchday 4
Updated: 15 Jun 2026 07:33 BST |
5 min read
Analysis
Germany legend Manuel Neuer and Sweden ace Mattias Svanberg etched their names into the history books on matchday four of the 2026 World Cup, while Japan underlined their status as tournament dark horses.
Here, FootballTransfers runs through four things you may have missed from Sunday's action in North America.
Neuer, Germany and Curacao break multiple records
Sunday's first match saw Curacao become the smallest country by population to play at a World Cup, and the day got even better for the Caribbean minnows when Livano Comenencia scored their maiden goal at the tournament against four-time champions Germany.
Debutants Curacao made even more history in the fixture as Dick Advocaat, who made a surprise return as manager in May after initially resigning due to his daughter's health, became the oldest coach in World Cup history at the esteemed age of 78.
Advocaat came up against the youngest manager at the 2026 World Cup in 38-year-old Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann, while Manuel Neuer became the oldest player to represent Germany at a major tournament at the ripe old age of 40.
While the scoreline may have been heavily lopsided in Germany's favour, with Kai Havertz scoring twice in a 7-1 thrashing, the spoils were shared as far as the history books were concerned.
WHAT A MOMENT FOR CURACAO! 🇨🇼
Livano Comenencia scores against Germany on their World Cup debut pic.twitter.com/aiyTB7EcE7— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 14, 2026
Persistence pays off for Japan against Netherlands
Japan snatched a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands after twice going behind but perhaps the most impressive thing about Daichi Kamada’s 89th-minute equaliser was that it came from a bullet header against a giant Dutch defence.
Despite the smallest defender in the Netherlands' defence being the same size as Japan’s tallest attacker, the Asian outfit attempted 23 crosses, succeeding with six of them, while they also won seven aerial duels compared to Oranje's 20.
Yet the defining moment came through the six-foot-one Koki Ogawa and his powerful header which deflected in off Kamada and earned Japan a valiant point against a Netherlands side who learned that size doesn’t matter...at the World Cup, anyway!
Nothing short of MAYHEM 😱
Substitute Kamada heads home an 88th-minute equaliser against the Dutch pic.twitter.com/l9vrkPBZMd— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 14, 2026
South American struggles so far at the World Cup
Ecuador’s last-gasp 1-0 loss to Ivory Coast means South American nations have picked up just one point between them from the opening four matchdays.
Amad Diallo scored the all-important winner in Ivory Coast's first World Cup match in 12 years, whereas for Ecuador, it was their first loss in nearly two years, having boasted the best defensive record in CONMEBOL qualifying.
Paraguay – who conceded the second least amount of goals in qualifying – lost 4-1 to the United States on Saturday, whereas Brazil struggled in a 1-1 draw with Morocco on the same day. Uruguay will now hope to rescue a damaged reputation for South American sides when they face Saudi Arabia on Monday.
Better late than never 💫
Amad Diallo's 90th minute winner that sunk Ecuadorian hearts... pic.twitter.com/47w7SARnF9— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 15, 2026
Svanberg makes substitute history for five-goal Sweden
Sweden may have entered the World Cup through the back door thanks to their Nations League placing, but Graham Potter's side announced themselves to the tournament in spectacular fashion by beating Tunisia 5-1 in Group F.
Yasin Ayari bagged a brace for Potter's side, while star strikers Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres were also on the scoresheet against a Tunisia side who struggled from the off.
Sweden's victory was all the more memorable as Mattias Svanberg made history by scoring the quickest goal as a substitute in World Cup history - the Wolfsburg man latching onto Isak's back heel just 12 seconds after coming off the bench.
Additional writing from Matthew Judge
That is incredible! 😲
Mattias Svanberg scores for Sweden within seconds of entering the pitch 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IDhpWDfN89— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 15, 2026
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