Deniz Undav just did something no German footballer has managed in 24 years. The VfB Stuttgart striker scored in both of his first two World Cup appearances, joining a very exclusive club with Miroslav Klose as the last German to pull off that particular trick back in 2002.
The Curaçao demolition and what followed
Germany opened their 2026 World Cup campaign on June 14 against Curaçao, and the final score read 7-1. Undav found the back of the net for Germany’s sixth goal and added two assists on top of that.
On June 20, Germany faced Ivory Coast. Germany found themselves trailing, then Undav came off the bench. He scored twice as a substitute, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 comeback victory. He earned Man of the Match honors for his trouble.
The Klose comparison and what it means
