Who is Deniz Undav? Turkish-Origin Player Who Scores a Brace in Germany's 2-1 Win over Cote d'Ivorie

Germany are up against Cote d'Ivoire in a crucial World Cup 2026 group stage match on Saturday (June 20), and Die Mannschaft has levelled things up.

After Franck Kessie gave the African side a lead in the first half, Germans found the equalizer through their substitute Deniz Undav. Nadiem Amiri sent in a superb cross and Undav made no mistake to put the ball in the back of the net from a volley.

Then the crunch moment came in the stoppage time, when Undav picked up a superb pass inside the box and slotted past Fofana to win Germany the crucial match. With the 2-1 victory, Germany have qualified for the Round of 32 in this edition, their first knockouts appearance since 2014 World Cup.

Who is Deniz Undav?

Deniz Undav is a German professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart and the Germany national team. Born on 19 July 1996 in Varel, the 29-year-old stands at 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) and wears the number 26 shirt. He is renowned for his clinical finishing, aerial strength, and versatility in attack despite his relatively modest height.

Of Kurdish Yazidi heritage, Undav's parents hail from the village of Isikli in southeastern Turkey Province. His grandfather emigrated to Germany after the 1980 military coup. He grew up in Achim near Bremen as one of five children and is the first footballer of Yazidi descent to represent Germany at a major tournament.

Undav's path to the top was far from straightforward. Released by Werder Bremen's academy, he progressed through lower leagues with TSV Havelse (32 goals in 67 appearances) and SV Meppen before signing for Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in 2020. There he became a star, scoring 26 goals in the 2021-22 Pro League season to win the Golden Boot and Belgian Footballer of the Year award.

In January 2022, Brighton & Hove Albion signed him for around €7 million. After limited starts in the Premier League (5 goals in 22 appearances), he joined VfB Stuttgart on loan in August 2023. He exploded with 18 Bundesliga goals and 9 assists in 30 games, helping the club finish second. Made permanent in August 2024, he scored 9 goals in 2024-25 and a career-best 19 in the 2025-26 Bundesliga season.

Deniz Undav Germany Career

Internationally, he made his Germany debut in March 2024 at age 27. He featured at Euro 2024 and, by June 2026, had earned 11 caps and scored 8 goals, including a goal and two assists as a substitute in a 7-1 World Cup win over Curacao in the last match and the latest one against Cote d'Ivorie.