Germany’s supporters in Toronto had seen enough. With over half an hour remaining and their team trailing 1-0 to Ivory Coast in a World Cup Group E clash, frustration was growing as The Elephants’ defence held firm. Soon, chants for Deniz Undav echoed through the stands. Coach Julian Nagelsmann shared the sentiment, and in the 60th minute, he introduced Undav alongside Nadiem Amiri and Jamie Leweling. Within eight minutes, Amiri swung in a beautiful cross from the right, which Undav dispatched with a fierce volley to bring Germany level.

Undav wasn’t finished there. Deep into injury time, he latched onto a pinpoint pass from Felix Nmecha, took a deft first touch, and slotted home another clinical finish to secure all three points for Germany. That strike marked his third goal in just two substitute appearances at the World Cup — enough to have the crowd chanting his name long after the final whistle.

For the 29-year-old striker, the moment felt almost dreamlike. Once dismissed by Werder Bremen for being too small, the stocky forward was now being likened to Gerd Muller by Lothar Matthaus. Even Undav himself could hardly believe it. “I’ve no idea, really,” he admitted with a grin. “I’m just in the right place at the right time.” Yet, his rise has been anything but straightforward.

After his release from Bremen, Undav’s journey took him through the lower tiers of German football, with stints in the third and fourth divisions. At one point, he even worked in a factory before gradually finding his rhythm in Belgium’s professional leagues. His breakthrough came with Union Saint-Gilloise, where he netted 26 goals in 39 appearances during the 2021-22 Jupiler Pro League season — a tally that caught Brighton’s attention.

However, his 2022 move to the Premier League initially seemed premature. While his finishing ability was evident — some around the Amex Stadium even labelled him the club’s most natural finisher — Undav struggled to replicate his training-ground form in competitive matches. Despite his popularity among teammates, goals were hard to come by in the Premier League.

His third goal for Brighton came in an FA Cup quarter-final win over Grimsby Town on March 19, 2023. Yet critics pointed out that all his strikes had come against lower-league sides, suggesting he might not be cut out for top-tier football. During his first Premier League start against Bournemouth on February 4, 2023, he missed three clear chances within 15 minutes. But manager Roberto De Zerbi refused to give up on him. “I have a lot of confidence in him,” De Zerbi said after the 5-0 win over Grimsby. “I believe in Deniz. He has big qualities, and I want more from him.”

That faith was eventually rewarded. Undav hit form late in the 2022-23 season, scoring five times in Brighton’s final eight matches, including a goal in a 3-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates. Reflecting on that period, he said, “I realised what matters in football. You have to work for the team, even make runs that might seem unnecessary. It took me three or four months to understand that. Once I did, I became much more effective.”

Despite that progress, Brighton allowed Undav to join Stuttgart on loan the following season, with De Zerbi admitting his regret. “Last year Deniz was crucial for us in achieving our goals,” he said. “But he deserves that chance to play.” Undav seized the opportunity brilliantly.

By the end of the 2023-24 season, Stuttgart had five players named in Germany’s European Championship squad — a club record — and Undav was among them. Forming a potent partnership with Serhou Guirassy, he scored 18 goals and provided nine assists as Stuttgart finished runners-up to Bayer Leverkusen, securing Champions League qualification for the first time in 14 years. His performances convinced Stuttgart to make his stay permanent in August 2024 for a club-record €32.6 million (£28m/$37m). Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth insisted it would prove a wise investment — and he was right.

Even with minor injury setbacks, Undav’s first full season as a Stuttgart player was exceptional. By March, he had forced his way back into Germany’s national squad after missing the entire World Cup qualification campaign. In the 2025-26 season, he tallied 25 goals and 14 assists across all competitions under coach Sebastian Hoeness. Only Bayern Munich’s attacking trio of Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Diaz directly contributed to more goals. Undav’s efforts helped Stuttgart secure a fourth-place Bundesliga finish and a second consecutive DFB-Pokal final appearance.

When given another chance at international level, Undav needed little time to deliver. He scored an 88th-minute winner in a friendly against Ghana, followed by two goals in a World Cup warm-up victory over Finland. His fine form led to public calls for him to start Germany’s opening World Cup match against Curacao. Nagelsmann, however, opted to keep using him as an impact substitute, believing his pace and movement were most effective against tiring opponents.

Though Nagelsmann apologised for earlier comments that sounded dismissive, Undav’s continued scoring has made it nearly impossible to ignore him for the starting XI. With three goals and two assists in just 56 minutes of World Cup action — and nine goals in 11 international appearances overall — he’s become the focal point of Germany’s attack and a legitimate Golden Boot contender.

As Germany prepare to face Ecuador, Nagelsmann faces a pleasant dilemma: should he start Undav ahead of Kai Havertz or another established star, or continue deploying him as a game-changing substitute? “We will discuss both options, including with Deniz,” the coach explained. “You could say: ‘Why interrupt his flow?’ He’s come on twice and scored both times. But you could also say: ‘What a great performance — he can start too.’”

Whatever the decision, it’s a remarkable turnaround for a player who, just three years ago, couldn’t find the net for Brighton in the Premier League. Today, Deniz Undav can’t stop scoring for Germany on the world’s biggest stage. “I’m enjoying every bit of it,” he said, smiling. “I’m just taking it all in.”

It’s been an extraordinary journey — from factory floors and lower-league pitches to World Cup stardom. “I’ve had to overcome a lot of obstacles,” Undav told DW. “That’s what made me a man.” Now, he’s the name every German fan is chanting at the 2026 World Cup.