Most strikers would kill for a 90-minute masterclass at the World Cup. Deniz Undav has been doing it in roughly half that time, and mostly from the bench.
The 29-year-old VfB Stuttgart forward has emerged as Germany’s most dangerous weapon at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, racking up five goal involvements, three goals and two assists, in just 56 minutes of play as a substitute. That’s roughly one goal contribution every 11 minutes.
A substitute rewriting the script
On June 14, he entered Germany’s match against Curaçao and scored one goal and provided two assists in a 7-1 demolition. Six days later, against the Ivory Coast in a far tighter contest, Undav came on and scored twice in a 2-1 victory, including a last-minute winner that secured Germany’s qualification for the Round of 32.
His five goal involvements from the bench set the record for substitute contributions at the tournament. He currently sits at the top of the Golden Boot race, ahead of names like Lionel Messi and Jonathan David.
