Who is Livano Comenencia? 22-year-old history maker scores Curacao's first-ever FIFA World Cup goal
Livano Shyron Liomar Comenencia is a 22-year-old right-back who has emerged as one of Curacao’s most exciting talents.
In a moment that will live forever in Caribbean football history, 22-year-old Livano Comenencia wrote his name into the record books. The right-back scored Curacao’s first-ever goal at a FIFA World Cup, equalising against four-time champions Germany in Houston on Sunday (June 14).
The match at NRG Stadium began with Germany taking an early lead through Felix Nmecha. But Curacao, the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup, refused to be overawed. At the 20-minute mark, they produced a moment of pure magic that silenced the favourites and sent their supporters into raptures.
Chaos in Houston as Livano Comenencia strikes
Germany looked comfortable after their quick opener. Then a loose spell in their defence allowed Curacao to break forward with real intent. The ball dropped kindly to Livano Comenencia on the edge of the box. His left-footed shot took a decisive deflection and flew past Manuel Neuer into the net.
History in Houston. Curacao scored against Germany to equalise. The crowd was thrilled as the Curacao players celebrated wildly before heading into the hydration break. The underdogs had levelled the score at 1-1 and announced themselves on the biggest stage.
Who is Livano Comenencia?
Livano Shyron Liomar Comenencia is a 22-year-old right-back who has emerged as one of Curacao’s most exciting talents. Born in Breda, Netherlands, on 3 February 2004, he stands at 1.85m and brings a powerful, athletic presence to the backline.
Like many players in the Curacao squad, Comenencia was born in the Netherlands and developed through the renowned PSV Eindhoven youth academy. He later moved to Juventus Next Gen before joining Swiss Super League side FC Zurich in August 2025, where he has established himself as a key player.
Despite his Dutch upbringing, Comenencia chose to represent Curacao through his family heritage. He has already won over 15 caps and played a starring role in the nation’s historic qualification campaign.
From qualifiers to World Cup glory
Livano Comenencia is part of the golden generation that guided Curacao to their first-ever FIFA World Cup. The team finished their qualifying campaign unbeaten and sealed qualification with a famous result against Jamaica.
Curacao Starting XI vs Germany (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Eloy Room
Defenders: Sherel Floranus, Armando Obispo, Riechedly Bazoer, Deveron Fonville
Midfielders: Juninho Bacuna, Livano Comenencia, Leandro Bacuna, Tahith Chong
Fowards: Juergen Locadia, Sontje Hansen
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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