Of course, there is an asterisk against the eye-catching performances of Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz et al for Germany in their World Cup opener as their 7-1 victory was against minnows Curacao.

Tougher tests are sure to follow in Group E against Ivory Coast and Ecuador, but after failing to make it out of their group in the last two World Cups, Germany can now feel confident of progressing to the knockout stages this time around...

Remaining matches:

Saturday 20, June

• Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)

Sunday, 21 June

• Ecuardor v Curacao (01:00 BST)

Thursday, 25 June

• Curacao v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)
• Ecuardor v Germany (21:00 BST)

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Former England striker Chris Sutton, in Houston for BBC Radio 5 Live, on Florian Wirtz: "The mitigation must be that this was Curacao, but the Liverpool fans who watched the game, especially in the first half, would be wondering if it was the same Florian Wirtz who played for them last season.

"He looked happy in a German jersey, at ease and playing with freedom."

Sutton added: "He was sharp off the left, drifting inside to play quick, incisive passes. He was creative and cunning. He looked unburdened. He was a real menace with Jamal Musiala."

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Dallas Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen last summer amid great fanfare in a then-British record £116m deal - but remained an enigma as he fell far short of expectations.

Liverpool still have huge hopes for a gifted attacking player who has only just turned 23, which means one of Iraola's main tasks is to find a settled position for the German to release the talent he demonstrated before moving to Anfield.

This is why Iraola will have been intrigued by what he saw from Wirtz in Germany's 7-1 win against Curacao in their opening World Cup game.

The context must be that this was against a side ranked 82nd in the world, but in the colours of his country and in favourable conditions, Wirtz showed some golden touches.

In Houston, Wirtz played on the left, perhaps giving Iraola food for thought, especially as Cody Gakpo had a poor season in that position. He created Germany's opening goal for Felix Nmecha with the sort of delicate touch and quick thinking that eluded him for much of last term.

Wirtz had 39 touches in the final third, instrumental as Germany ran riot.

Mario Melchiot
Former Netherlands defender on Football Daily

You always want to start well and that's definitely what the Germans did. They have a lot of talent. When you look at the German side every tournament we go to, we can never say we are not thinking about the Germans. It's impossible.

The way they kicked off, the scoreline 7-1 is a lot. In the system, Germany are great when they keep it compact.

As soon as you stretch the team open and you get them in the pocket, then it becomes a one-v-one and then I don't know if they're going to be tested and that's what I want to see.

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Hoad
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Four-time winners Germany overcame a brief scare from World Cup debutants Curacao before turning on the style to win their Group E opener in Houston.

Die Mannschaft went ahead in the sixth minute with the tournament's earliest goal so far coming from a delightful curling effort from one-time England youth international Felix Nmecha after a classy Florian Wirtz touch.

But they were stunned by a historic leveller from the smallest nation ever, by size and population, to take part in a World Cup. With around 155,000 inhabitants, the Caribbean island of just 171 square miles is smaller than the Isle of Man with a population the same as Huddersfield.

Zurich midfielder Livano Comenencia wrote his name in folklore on 21 minutes with a left-footed drive from the edge of the box which deflected past Germany keeper Manuel Neuer.

But Germany re-established their lead after the hydration break through Nico Schlotterbeck's flashing header from Nathaniel Brown's corner to the near post.

The pressure intensified and a calm penalty from Kai Havertz in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage-time - following a rash lunge on the impressive Nmecha by Riechedly Bazoer - gave the eight-time finalists breathing space.

Just 69 seconds after the interval Jamal Musiala fired in an angled finish from Joshua Kimmich's neat pass to signal Germany's intent as they took control of the game.

Left-back Brown lashed home a volley after a neat flick from substitute Deniz Undav, who then swept home a sixth from Kimmich's pass.

The former Brighton forward, now at Stuttgart, then set up Havertz for Germany's seventh goal two minutes from time, a lovely dink over Curacao keeper Eloy Room to seal a dominant success.

Chris McKenna
BBC Sport reporter

Manchester United winger Amad Diallo scored a superb 90th-minute winner as Ivory Coast beat Ecuador in Philadelphia.

It was a stunning finish as the substitute opened his left foot to divert the ball into the corner after a powerful run from Wilfried Singo - and it ended a 19-game unbeaten run stretching for almost two years for Ecuador.

Amad was a surprise exclusion from Ivory Coast's starting line-up on their return to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years.

But he made a major impact with the winner which gives them a huge chance to qualify out of Group E - which also includes Germany and Curacao - and reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Premier League players also played a key role in both opening matches in Group E...

Let's have a recap.

Here's a round-up of what we have focused on so far after a day of World Cup action where Premier League stars have taken centre stage:

• Watch highlights from the latest World Cup matches - all the highlights in one place

• The Premier League factor - how players in the English top flight have taken centre stage
• Sweden thrash Tunisia - great start for Graham Potter's men in Group F
• Japan come from behind against Netherlands - resilient Japan fight for important point
• Get Involved - Should Sweden be considered dark horses? - send us your thoughts

Rory Smith
Football Correspondent for The Observer on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast

I was impressed with Japan, I thought they were very good [against the Netherlands] and their form is excellent. They also won at Wembley a few months ago.

Image source, Getty Images

What of the other dark horse of Group F?

Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu said before the tournament started that his side's goal was to win the World Cup.

The country has never been past the last 16 before but Japan beat Germany and Spain in the group stages at Qatar 2022, before losing to Croatia on penalties in the first knockout round.

Since then they have beaten Germany and Brazil in friendlies and warmed up for this tournament with wins away to Scotland and England in March.

After battling to a point against the Netherlands in their opener in Dallas, Moriyasu's side can effectively seal their progress from Group F with a win against Tunisia on 21 June.

They then face early group leaders Sweden in their final game on 26 June. Could that match determine who qualifies as group winners?

Graham Potter must certainly be credited with getting the best out of two-goal hero Yasin Ayari.

The 22-year-old is not a regular starter for Brighton and made nine of his 29 appearances in the Premier League last season from the bench.

He scored three and assisted three last campaign, which was his most successful top-flight campaign to date.

Ayari's international career has continued to go from strength to strength since making his debut for Sweden while on loan at Coventry City in 2023.

To date, he has 22 international caps and scored five goals.

If he has a stellar World Cup, could he give Fabian Hurzeler food for thought next season?

Image source, Getty Images

Chris McKenna
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

When Graham Potter strode out to Sweden training last week donning a Stetson, it was a bit of fun to get into the World Cup mood as they prepared for the tournament in Texas.

Some might have quipped that the cowboy hat was fitting for a manager who was maybe drinking in last-chance saloon following back-to-back sackings in his previous jobs lasting a combined 15 months.

But at Estadio Monterrey in Mexico, Potter's side showed they mean business in this competition after the fun at training from their head coach.

For a manager who was dismissed by West Ham in September after failing at Chelsea before that, few would have expected him to be steering a nation to a winning start in the World Cup this summer.

The Solihull-born coach had become bristly with the media during his time in England in high-pressured jobs.

But he seems refreshed and reborn in the Sweden role. He is back in the country he really cut his teeth as a manager, where he took Ostersunds FK from the fourth tier to the top flight, winning the domestic cup and leading them into their first European campaign.

It is certainly looking more positive for the cowboy hat-wearing manager.

Here's a reminder of the standings in Group F and the games we have coming up.

The Netherlands were a little underwhelming in their 2-2 draw with Japan. Despite twice taking the lead, Japan always looked dangerous and deservedly battled back to claim a point.

Should the Dutch fail to fire in their next match against an in-form Sweden - fresh from their opening 5-1 win - then a defeat could put undue pressure on their final game of the group stages against Tunisia...

Remaining matches:

Saturday, 20 June

• Netherlands v Sweden (18:00 BST)

Sunday, 21 June

• Tunisia v Japan (05:00 BST)

Friday, 26 June

• Japan v Sweden (00:00 BST)
• Tunisia v Netherlands (00:00 BST)

Image source, Getty Images

The conversation before the start of Group F was the status of the Netherlands and Japan as World Cup dark horses.

Should we now add Sweden to this category, given the fire power they have in attacking positions?

Sweden's best finish at a World Cup came in 1958, when they finished runners-up on home soil under another English manager in George Raynor.

They also finished third in 1994, when the competition was last staged in the USA.

Good omens for current Sweden boss Graham Potter?

Get in touch with your thoughts using the 'Get Involved' button.

Yasin Ayari also starred for Sweden, as the Brighton midfielder opened and closed the scoring with two fantastic long-range efforts.

By doing so, he became Sweden's youngest World Cup scorer since Tomas Brolin in 1990.

His celebrations were muted, however, in respect of his father, who is Tunisian.

Ayari could have represented Tunisia, but plumped to play for Sweden instead.

Take a look at his opening goal below ... proper top bins.

Image source, Getty Images

Graham Potter believes Sweden's Premier League strike pairing of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres can be a "real threat" at this World Cup.

Liverpool's Isak and Arsenal's Gyokeres tore Tunisia's defence to shreds in Monday morning's 5-1 win in Moterrey, scoring a goal apiece and also assisting three of Sweden's five goals.

Sweden coach Potter said: "Individually, of course, they are top players but I think together they can be a real threat.

"I think they’ll get better and better the more they play; they complement each other very well.

"I’m really pleased with the players. We know the quality of the individuals in the front positions but they needed a team to function.

"We weren’t perfect; we knew we wouldn’t be. But at the start of the game I thought we had good control."

There is no doubting the impact of Sweden's Premier League strike pairing.

Both Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak scored in their opening win over Tunisia, while Gyokeres set up Isak for his 30th-minute strike and Isak responded by weighing in with an assist for Gyokeres, also teeing up Mattias Svanberg for the final goal in their 5-1 victory...

Mario Melchiot
Former Netherlands defender on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast

The critical question that the Netherlands fans ask for Virgil van Dijk is that sometimes he has to be more involved and dictate and do more.

When you look at Liverpool, sometimes it's a system and everyone has the individual job and what his key thing is to be a defender.

I think that we cannot be too critical about Van Dijk because sometimes some of the guys that we praise in Holland have not done what he has done, won what he has won, achieved what he has.

He has become very successful for the Dutch national team and also for his generation. Sometimes you have to compliment that person too.

Sometimes [the criticism is] a little harsh on him because when you do well, I have to give you credit.

Image source, Getty Images