Germany will not underestimate a physical and technical Curacao team in their World Cup opener, coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Saturday, adding ​that their success in the tournament would rest heavily on 40-year-old ‌goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Nagelsmann also said Nathaniel Brown would earn a first World Cup appearance in their Group E opener on Sunday and that importantly for Germany's chances, Neuer has found his rhythm in ​time for the four-time champions.

“We trust him a lot,” Nagelsmann told a ​news conference. “In order to have a good World Cup, we need Manuel in top performance and we think he can do that.

“He didn’t ​have the rhythm, but now he has found the rhythm.”

The Germans go into the ​tournament aiming to restore their dented international reputation after shock first-round exits in 2018 and 2022.

Nagelsmann shrugged off questions of why Germany were not considered among the top favourites this time ​around, saying that was something that could be answered after the tournament.

“When we ​take a look at the last two World Cups, we didn’t perform in a good way ‌, so we won’t be mentioned as a favourite for this tournament,” he said.

“It is our job to do a perfect World Cup now, and then we will be a favourite for the next World Cup.”

The Germans also play Ivory Coast and Ecuador ​in the group, ​but Nagelsmann said the focus was only on a Curacao side consisting of Dutch-raised players with the quality to surprise in the tournament.

The ​match also features Nagelsmann as the tournament’s youngest head coach at ​age 38, facing off against the oldest in 78-year-old Dick Advocaat, though the German joked he hoped not to be coaching that long.

“I love my job, but I hope I have ​some different things to do at that age,” ​he said. “Dick Advocaat is a really cool coach and has done a brilliant job for Curacao. It ​is a great compliment to his work.”