Deniz Undav: Germany's 2026 World Cup supersub
Deniz Undav is the man in focus for Germany, but things could have turned out very differently for the Stuttgart striker. And then, all of
Deniz Undav is the man in focus for Germany, but things could have turned out very differently for the Stuttgart striker. And then, all of a sudden, Deniz Undav had disappeared into a sea of Germany shirts. The striker was lost in the jubilant crowd of his teammates celebrating after the Stuttgart forward had scored an injury-time winner for Germany against the Ivory Coast in Toronto. At first, it seemed as though Undav himself hadn’t quite grasped what he had just accomplished. "How do I do it? No idea. I’m just in the right spot," the 29-year-old said afterwards, showing off that now familiar smile of his. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who showed a knack for making the right substitutions at the right time, was full of praise for his supersub. "Deniz has an incredible striker's instinct. As soon as spaces open up, he’s just super smart," Nagelsmann said afterwards. With nine goals in his last eight international matches and three goals and two assists at this World Cup, Undav is not only the in-form player on his team, but also the current top scorer of the 2026 World Cup. Amiri: 'Deniz is lethal in front of the goal' "I'm over the moon. I had to laugh again, even in Toronto, people are chanting my name, not just in Stuttgart," Undav said afterwards, full of emotion. "I'm enjoying it; I'm taking it all in." It took just under an hour for the Germany fans to start chanting "Deniz Undav," demanding the fan favorite to be brought off the bench.
Nagelsmann responded soon afterwards, and it proved to be a game-changing decision. "Deniz is absolutely lethal in front of goal," said Nadiem Amiri, who himself made an impact off the bench by assisting Undav for his first goal. For Lothar Matthäus, Germany's most capped player, Undav reminded him of the iconic Germany striker Gerd Müller from the 1970s. "In that regard, we have a new 'Germany goal-scoring sensation,'" said Matthäus. Undav's movement in the box made the difference as the Stuttgart striker changed the game Image: Matthias Koch/IMAGO Move to Belgium the turning point While Undav is currently living the dream, his journey to World Cup hero has been long and far from usual. After all, he only became a professional player eight years ago. In 2018, Undav signed his first professional contract with SV Meppen in Germany's third division. But it wasn't until the 2021/22 season, when he moved to Union Saint-Gilloise in the Belgian second division, that his career took off. "My second season in Belgium was the turning point," said Undav. "Until then, I hadn't really behaved like a pro; that’s when things became truly professional." From Belgium, he moved to the Premier League club to join Brighton & Hove Albion. His time in England helped Undav solidify his path as a professional. "I realized what matters in football: You have to work for the team, even making runs that might seem unnecessary at times.
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