Deniz Undav

Deniz Undav
Undav with Germany in 2026
Personal information
Full name Deniz Undav[1]
Date of birth (1996-07-19) 19 July 1996
Place of birth Varel, Germany
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 VfB Stuttgart
Number 26
Youth career
2002–2006 TSV Achim
2007–2012 Werder Bremen
2012–2014 SC Weyhe
2014–2015 TSV Havelse
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2017 TSV Havelse 67 (32)
2017–2018 Eintracht Braunschweig II 18 (9)
2018–2020 SV Meppen 69 (23)
2020–2022 Union SG 65 (43)
2022–2024 Brighton & Hove Albion 22 (5)
2023–2024 → VfB Stuttgart (loan) 30 (18)
2024– VfB Stuttgart 56 (28)
International career‡
2024– Germany 13 (9)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:51, 16 May 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 15:52, 30 June 2026 (UTC)

Deniz Undav (German pronunciation: [ˈdɛnɪs ˈʊndaːf]; born 19 July 1996) is a German professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart. He also plays for the Germany national team.

Early and personal life

Undav was born on 19 July 1996 in Varel and grew up in Achim, near Bremen.[3] His parents have Kurdish and Yazidi origins. His father is from the village of Isikli (Zewra) in the Viranşehir district of Urfa Province in southeastern Turkey,[4][5] while his mother is from the village of Berzan near Hasakah, Syria.[6] His paternal grandfather emigrated to Germany following the 1980 military coup, during a period when many Yazidis were leaving the region.[3] Undav is one of five children, and his brother, Rocat, also plays for TSV Achim.[7] At 17, he was earning 600 Dirhams a week as a semi-professional footballer in Germany’s fourth division while working eight-hour shifts in a factory.[8] In November 2021, he married Tanja Undav, who like him, was born in Germany to a Yazidi family from Midyat, Turkey. The couple have a daughter, born in 2024.[9][6]

Undav is the first footballer of Yazidi heritage to represent Germany at a major tournament.[10]

Kurdish identity and ethnic tensions

Undav is of Kurdish-Yazidi heritage and has publicly spoken about his ethnic background on several occasions. During a UEFA Euro 2024 press conference, he corrected a journalist who described him as being of Turkish origin, stating that he was of Kurdish descent. Although he was eligible to represent Turkey internationally, Undav chose to play for Germany, the country where he was born and raised.[11][12]

His public identification as Kurdish has occasionally made him a target of ethnic and political hostility. Among those who criticized Undav was Mustafa Destici, leader of the far-right nationalist Great Unity Party, who argued that any Turkish citizenship he might hold should be revoked.[13] Following a VfB Stuttgart match against the Turkish club Fenerbahçe, Undav was subjected to a coordinated wave of racist and discriminatory comments directed at his ethnic background by various Turkish-speaking social media user groups.[14][15]

Club career

Early career

Undav began playing at his hometown club, TSV Achim, as a child. In 2007, Werder Bremen youth coach Frank Braakmann recruited him to the club's academy after watching him at a junior tournament in Achim.[16] Werder released him in 2012 because of his height. He then joined SC Weyhe and TSV Havelse, where he made his senior debut in the 2014–15 Regionalliga. He later played for Eintracht Braunschweig II and SV Meppen.[17]

Union Saint-Gilloise

Undav with Union SG in 2020

In April 2020, it was announced Undav would leave 3. Liga club SV Meppen at the end of the 2019–20 season. With his Meppen contract running out, he would join Belgian First Division B side Union Saint-Gilloise on a three-year deal.[18][19]

On 13 March 2021, Undav won the championship with Union Saint-Gilloise in the Belgian First Division B, ending his season on 17 goals in 26 games.

On the 15th matchday of the 2021–22 Belgian First Division A season, Undav scored a quadruple, for the first time in his career, away at K.V. Oostende in the 7–1 victory.[20] He finished the season as the league's top scorer with 18 goals and was named Belgian Footballer of the Year.[21]

Brighton & Hove Albion

Undav (middle) with Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022

On 31 January 2022, Undav joined Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion for €7 million,[22] signing a four-and-a-half-year deal. He immediately returned to Union Saint-Gilloise on loan until the end of the 2021–22 season.[23]

Undav made his Albion debut in the opening game of the 2022–23 season, coming on as a substitute for Danny Welbeck in stoppage time as Brighton beat Manchester United 2–1 for its first victory at Old Trafford.[24] He scored his first goal for the club in his second appearance, opening the scoring in a 3–0 away win over League One side Forest Green Rovers in the second round of the EFL Cup on 24 August.[25] He did not score again until 7 January 2023, when he came off the bench to add Brighton's final goal in a 5–1 away win over Championship side Middlesbrough in the third round of the FA Cup.[26] He made his first Premier League start on 4 February, creating chances without scoring before being substituted in a 1–0 home win over Bournemouth.[27] On 19 March, he opened the scoring with a rebound from a Moisés Caicedo shot and later assisted an Evan Ferguson goal in a 5–0 FA Cup quarter-final win over League Two side Grimsby Town.[28] Undav scored his first Premier League goal on 29 April, opening the scoring and adding a second in a 6–0 win over Wolves.[29] He scored again on 14 May, adding Albion's second in a 3–0 away win over Arsenal.[30] Four days later, he scored at both ends in a 4–1 away defeat at Newcastle, heading into his own net from a corner before pulling a goal back.[31]

VfB Stuttgart

2023–2024: Initial loan spell

Undav with VfB Stuttgart in 2023

On 2 August 2023, Undav returned to Germany, signing for Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart on a season-long loan for the 2023–24 season.[32] He made his Stuttgart debut on 16 September 2023, in a Bundesliga match against 1. FSV Mainz 05. On 27 January 2024, he scored his first Bundesliga hat-trick in a 5–2 win over RB Leipzig.[33] In his debut Bundesliga season, he scored 18 goals and provided nine assists, and Stuttgart finished second in the league to secure Champions League qualification for the first time since 2009–10.[34]

2024–present: Permanent signing, contract extension and captain

On 9 August 2024, after his loan spell, Undav signed for VfB Stuttgart permanently on a three-year contract.[35] On 17 September, he scored on his Champions League debut in a 3–1 away defeat to reigning champions Real Madrid.[36]

On 23 October 2025, during an away match against Fenerbahçe in Istanbul, Undav was subjected to anti-Kurdish racism from sections of the stadium crowd following an on-field altercation.[37] The hostility escalated further on social media, where he faced continued racist abuse. Undav later publicly thanked fans for an outpouring of support in the wake of the match.[38]

On 14 February 2026, Undav made his 100th competitive appearance for Stuttgart, scoring his 48th goal for the club in a 3–1 win over 1. FC Köln.[39] On 9 May, he scored in a 3–1 win over Bayer Leverkusen to set a personal Bundesliga single-season record of 19 goals.[40] On 1 June 2026, VfB Stuttgart announced that Undav had extended his contract until June 2029, with an option for a further season.[41]

In August 2026, Undav became the new captain of VfB Stuttgart.[42]

International career

Undav was eligible to represent either Germany or Turkey internationally.[43][44]

In March 2024, aged 27 and having never been capped at youth level, Undav received his first call-up to the German national team ahead of friendlies against France and the Netherlands.[45] He made his debut for Germany in a 2–0 win against France, coming on for Kai Havertz in the 80th minute.[46] Undav was named in Germany's squad for UEFA Euro 2024.[47] He scored his first international goal in a 2–2 draw against the Netherlands on 10 September 2024.[48]

Undav was named in Germany's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[49] He became the first footballer of Yazidi heritage to represent Germany at a major tournament.[50] On 14 June, he appeared as a substitute in Germany's opener, scoring the sixth goal and providing two assists in an eventual 7–1 win over Curaçao,[51] becoming the second German player to assist two goals in a World Cup match as a substitute, after Pierre Littbarski.[52] In his second World Cup appearance, he scored a brace and earned Man of the Match in a 2–1 victory over Ivory Coast, securing his country's first qualification for the knockout stage since 2014.[53] With five goal contributions in a total of 56 minutes throughout the first two matches, he became the highest scoring super-sub in World Cup history breaking Roger Milla's record from 1990 as well as André Schürrle's record among Germans from 2014.[54]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 23 May 2026[55][56]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Havelse 2014–15 Regionalliga Nord 3000———30
2015–16 Regionalliga Nord 321620———3416
2016–17 Regionalliga Nord 321635———3521
Total 673255———7237
Eintracht Braunschweig II 2017–18 Regionalliga Nord 18900———189
Meppen 2018–19 3. Liga 35631———387
2019–20 3. Liga 341710———3517
Total 692341———7324
Union SG 2020–21 Belgian First Division B 261731———2918
2021–22[c] Belgian Pro League 392621———4127
Total 654352———7045
Brighton & Hove Albion 2022–23 Premier League 2255231——308
VfB Stuttgart (loan) 2023–24 Bundesliga 301831———3319
VfB Stuttgart 2024–25 Bundesliga 27942—6[d]11[e]13813
2025–26 Bundesliga 291963—10[f]31[e]04625
Stuttgart total 8646136—1642111757
Career total 32715832163116421380180
  1. ↑ Includes Lower Saxony Cup, DFB-Pokal, Belgian Cup, FA Cup
  2. ↑ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ↑ Part of season spent on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion
  4. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  5. 1 2 Appearance in DFL-/Franz Beckenbauer Supercup
  6. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 29 June 2026[57]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Germany 202453
202510
202676
Total139
As of match played 20 June 2026. Germany score listed first, score column indicates score after each Undav goal.[57]
List of international goals scored by Deniz Undav
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
110 September 2024Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands4 Netherlands1–12–22024–25 UEFA Nations League A
211 October 2024Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina5 Bosnia and Herzegovina1–02–12024–25 UEFA Nations League A
32–0
430 March 2026MHP Arena, Stuttgart, Germany7 Ghana2–12–1Friendly
531 May 2026Mewa Arena, Mainz, Germany8 Finland1–04–0Friendly
63–0
714 June 2026NRG Stadium, Houston, United States10 Curaçao6–17–12026 FIFA World Cup
820 June 2026BMO Field, Toronto, Canada11 Ivory Coast1–12–12026 FIFA World Cup
92–1

Honours

Union SG

VfB Stuttgart

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "2022/23 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 16 September 2022. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "Denis Undav: Overview". Premier League. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Anti-Kurdish hate campaign against soccer player Deniz Undav". ANF News. October 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "OFFICIEEL: Union denkt toch al vooruit en trekt topschutter uit Duitsland aan". voetbalprimeur.be (in Dutch). 7 April 2020. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  5. ↑ "Diyarbakır Karacadağ'dan Alman Milli Takımına uzandı". CEGA Medya (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 8 December 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  6. 1 2 Güneş, Serpil (21 June 2026). "Alt liglerden Dünya Kupası zirvesine: Undav fırtınası ve arkasındaki sessiz güç ailesi". Rudaw (in Turkish). Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "Deniz Undav ist für die WM 2026 nominiert: So blicken Heimatverein und Familie auf den Spieler". ZDFheute (in German). 26 May 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  8. ↑ Lewis, Andy. "World Cup 2026: Who is Deniz Undav? German striker with Kurdish roots scores twice against Ivory Coast". The National. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  9. ↑ Young, Grant (21 June 2026). "Deniz Undav's wife Tanja gushes over Germany hero's World Cup performance". Yahoo! Sports.
  10. ↑ Brautmeier, Lisa (24 June 2024). "„Wir sind angekommen": Warum den Celler Eziden der EM-Einsatz vom deutschen Nationalspieler Deniz Undav so viel bedeutet" (in German). Cellesche Zeitung.
  11. ↑ Merkezi, Haber (22 June 2026). "Deniz Undav neden Almanya'da oynuyor? Türk Milli takımına davet edildi mi?". Diyarbakır Haber, Diyarbakır Son Dakika Haberleri | Güneydoğu Ekspres (in Turkish). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  12. ↑ Kizilhan, Jan Ilhan (22 June 2026). "More than a goal scorer: How Deniz Undav gives hope to millions". Rudaw. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "Mustafa Destici 'Kürdüm' diyen futbolcu Deniz Undav'a: Vatandaşlıktan çıkarılsın". Rudaw (in Turkish). 29 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Deniz Undav'a Fenerbahçe maçı sonrası ırkçı kampanya". dw.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Kurdish footballer Deniz Undav thanks fans for support after racist abuse". bianet.org. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "Über Achim und Weyhe zur WM: Deniz Undavs märchenhafte Geschichte". Weser-Kurier (in German). Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Stuttgarts neuer Hoffnungsträger" (in German). Sport1. 4 August 2023. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  18. ↑ "SV Meppen verliert Topstürmer Undav". NDR.de (in German). 7 April 2020. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  19. ↑ "Meppen enttäuscht: Top-Torjäger Undav geht nach Belgien". kicker (in German). 7 April 2020. Archived from the original on 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  20. ↑ "Deniz Undav a réalisé l'un de ses plus gros matches avec l'Union". dhnet.be (in French). 22 November 2021. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  21. 1 2 "Deniz Undav is Profvoetballer & Tessa Wullaert Profvoetbalster van het Jaar". SPORZA. 23 May 2022. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  22. ↑ "Deniz Undav devient le transfert le plus cher de l'histoire de l'Union". February 2022.
  23. ↑ "Albion complete deal for Deniz Undav". www.brightonandhovealbion.com. 31 January 2022. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  24. ↑ "Brighton beat Manchester United at Old Trafford for First-Time in Premier League Opening Weekend". 7 August 2022.
  25. ↑ "Denis Undav opens his goal account as Brighton's youngsters cash in". The Guardian. 24 August 2022. Archived from the original on 7 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  26. ↑ "Five-star Albion cruise into the fourth round". Brighton & Hove Albion. 7 January 2023. Archived from the original on 7 January 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  27. ↑ "More Mitoma magic as Albion leave it late". Brighton & Hove Albion. 4 February 2023. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  28. ↑ "Wembley next as Albion cruise into FA Cup semi-finals". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  29. ↑ "Back on track with six of the best". Brighton & Hove Albion. 29 April 2023. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  30. ↑ "It's three and easy as magnificent Albion move up to sixth". Brighton & Hove Albion. 14 May 2023. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  31. ↑ "Late goals make it tough on the Tyne for Albion". Brighton & Hove Albion. 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 November 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  32. ↑ "VfB sign Deniz Undav". VfB Stuttgart. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  33. ↑ "VfB Stuttgart watscht RB Leipzig ab: Deniz Undav erzielt Dreierpack - erster Pflichtspielsieg im neuen Jahr" (in German). Eurosport. 27 January 2024. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  34. ↑ Bissett, Luke (21 May 2024). "Deniz Undav's dream debut season in the Bundesliga". FotMob. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  35. ↑ "VfB verpflichtet Deniz Undav" [VfB signs Deniz Undav] (in German). VfB Stuttgart. 9 August 2024. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  36. ↑ "VfB Stuttgart's Deniz Undav reacts to their 3-1 loss to Real Madrid: "We knew that if we didn't score against Real, we would be punished"". OneFootball. 18 September 2024. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  37. ↑ "German Kurdish Footballer Deniz Undav Targeted with Racist Abuse in Istanbul". Kurdistan24. 25 October 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  38. ↑ "Kurdish footballer Deniz Undav thanks fans for support after racist abuse". Bianet. 27 October 2025.
  39. ↑ "VfB Stuttgart – 1.FC Köln". VfB Stuttgart. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  40. ↑ "Goal-scoring record and links to Kylian Mbappé: VfB Stuttgart's Deniz Undav explains his special celebration". Goal.com. 9 May 2026.
  41. ↑ "VfB extend Deniz Undav deal". VfB Stuttgart. 1 June 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  42. ↑ "Deniz Undav confirmed as new VfB captain". vfb.de. VfB Stuttgart. 26 August 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  43. ↑ "Deniz Undav eyes Germany debut and shot at Euro 2024 squad". Associated Press News. 21 March 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  44. ↑ Sten-Ziemons, Andreas (18 June 2024). "Turkey's national team relishing Euro 2024 'home' tournament". Deutsche Welle.
  45. ↑ "Start ins EM-Jahr mit sechs Neulingen und sechs Rückkehrern" (in German). German Football Association. 14 March 2024. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  46. ↑ "France v Germany game report". ESPN. 23 March 2024. Archived from the original on 24 March 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  47. ↑ "UEFA Euro 2024: All squads and players full list". Olympics.com. 7 June 2024. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  48. ↑ "Undav "over the moon" after scoring his first goal for Germany". Bundesliga News in English. 10 September 2024. Archived from the original on 8 November 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  49. ↑ "Nagelsmann nominiert WM-Kader" (in German). Tagesschau. 21 May 2026.
  50. ↑ Brautmeier, Lisa (24 June 2024). "„Wir sind angekommen": Warum den Celler Eziden der EM-Einsatz vom deutschen Nationalspieler Deniz Undav so viel bedeutet" (in German). Cellesche Zeitung.
  51. ↑ "Germany put seven past debutants Curaçao". FIFA. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  52. ↑ Furniss, Matt (14 June 2026). "The Perfect Start: Five Numbers Behind Germany's Dominant World Cup Win Over Curaçao". Opta Analysis.
  53. ↑ "Undav bags brace to see Germany through". FIFA. 20 June 2026.
  54. ↑ "The 10 best super subs in World Cup history". Squawka | EN. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  55. ↑ Deniz Undav at Soccerway
  56. ↑ Deniz Undav Archived 9 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine at Flashscore
  57. 1 2 "Deniz Undav international matches". EU-Football.info. 24 March 2024. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  58. ↑ "Bundesliga Player of the Month". EA Sports. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  59. ↑ "Deniz Undav named Bundesliga Player of the Month for March". Bundesliga. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  60. ↑ "Florian Wirtz ist VDV-Spieler der Saison" (in German). VDV. 27 May 2024. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  61. ↑ "Michael Olise ist VDV-Spieler der Saison" (in German). VDV. 2 June 2026. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
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