Deniz Undav has gone from Bundesliga super-sub to Germany’s most dangerous forward in roughly 18 months. Now the 29-year-old VfB Stuttgart striker is about to step onto the biggest stage in world football for the first time.
Head coach Julian Nagelsmann named Undav to Germany’s final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, capping a season in which the striker has been statistically untouchable among his international teammates.
The numbers behind the selection
Undav’s case for inclusion wasn’t subtle. He tallied 25 goal involvements during the 2025-26 campaign with Stuttgart, splitting that haul into 19 goals and 6 assists. That figure leads every player in Germany’s World Cup squad.
Since earning his first senior cap in 2024, Undav has collected 9 appearances and scored 6 goals for Die Mannschaft.
