Deniz Undav facts for kids
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Undav with Germany in 2026
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Deniz Undav | ||
| Date of birth | 19 July 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Varel, Germany | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | 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, correct as of 21:51, 16 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:52, 30 June 2026 (UTC) |
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Deniz Undav (born 19 July 1996) is a talented German professional footballer. He plays as a forward, which means he's a goal-scorer, for the German club VfB Stuttgart and is also a key player for the German national team. He is known for his powerful shots and clever moves on the field.
Contents
About Deniz Undav
Early Life and Family
Deniz Undav was born in Varel, Germany, on 19 July 1996. He grew up in a town called Achim, near Bremen. His family has Kurdish and Yazidi roots. His father came from a village in Turkey, and his mother is from a village in Syria. Deniz is one of five children, and his brother, Rocat, also plays football for TSV Achim. Before becoming a full-time professional footballer, Deniz worked hard in a factory for eight hours a day while also playing semi-professional football. In November 2021, he married Tanja Undav, and they welcomed their daughter in 2024. Deniz Undav made history as the first footballer of Yazidi heritage to play for Germany in a major tournament.
Proud of His Heritage
Deniz is very proud of his Kurdish-Yazidi background and often talks about it. During a press conference at UEFA Euro 2024, he kindly corrected a journalist who said he was of Turkish origin, explaining that he is of Kurdish descent. Even though he could have played for Turkey, Deniz chose to represent Germany, the country where he was born and grew up. Sometimes, because he openly shares his heritage, Deniz has faced unfair comments. For example, after a match against the Turkish club Fenerbahçe, he received negative messages online related to his background. He also faced similar unfair comments during an away match in Istanbul in October 2025. Deniz has always thanked his fans for their support during these times.
Club Football Journey
Starting Out
Deniz started his football journey as a child at his local club, TSV Achim. When he was 11, a coach from Werder Bremen noticed his talent and invited him to join their youth academy. However, Werder Bremen let him go in 2012 because they thought he wasn't tall enough. Deniz didn't give up! He continued playing for other clubs like SC Weyhe and TSV Havelse, where he made his first senior team appearance in the 2014–15 season. He later played for Eintracht Braunschweig II and SV Meppen.
Success in Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise
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In April 2020, Deniz moved to Belgium to play for Union Saint-Gilloise. He signed a three-year contract. On 13 March 2021, he helped his team win the Belgian First Division B championship, scoring 17 goals in 26 games that season. He continued his amazing performance in the 2021–22 Belgian First Division A season, scoring four goals in one match against K.V. Oostende! He finished that season as the league's top scorer with 18 goals and was named the Belgian Footballer of the Year.
Premier League Adventure with Brighton
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On 31 January 2022, Deniz joined the English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion. He signed a four-and-a-half-year deal but immediately returned to Union Saint-Gilloise on loan to finish the season there. Deniz made his debut for Brighton in August 2022, helping them win against Manchester United. He scored his first goal for Brighton later that month in an EFL Cup match. He scored his first Premier League goals in April 2023, scoring twice in a big 6–0 win against Wolves. He continued to score important goals for Brighton, including one against Arsenal.
Shining at VfB Stuttgart
On 2 August 2023, Deniz returned to Germany, joining Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart on a loan for the 2023–24 season. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first Bundesliga hat-trick in January 2024 in a 5–2 victory. He had a fantastic debut season, scoring 18 goals and providing nine assists, helping Stuttgart finish second in the league. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2009–10! Because of his great performance, VfB Stuttgart signed Deniz permanently on 9 August 2024, with a three-year contract. He even scored on his Champions League debut in September 2024 against Real Madrid. In February 2026, Deniz played his 100th game for Stuttgart, scoring his 48th goal for the club. In May 2026, he set a new personal record with 19 goals in a single Bundesliga season. On 1 June 2026, Stuttgart announced that Deniz had extended his contract until June 2029.
Playing for Germany
Deniz Undav had the choice to play for either Germany or Turkey internationally. In March 2024, when he was 27, he received his first call-up to the German national team. He made his debut for Germany in a 2–0 win against France. He scored his first international goal in September 2024 in a match against the Netherlands. Deniz was part of Germany's squad for UEFA Euro 2024. He was also selected for Germany's team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He made history again by becoming the first footballer of Yazidi heritage to represent Germany at a major tournament. In the World Cup, he came on as a substitute in Germany's first game, scoring a goal and assisting two others in a big 7–1 win. In his second World Cup game, he scored two goals and was named "Man of the Match," helping Germany qualify for the knockout stage. With five goal contributions in just 56 minutes across his first two World Cup matches, he became the highest-scoring "super-sub" in World Cup history!
Career Highlights and Awards
Deniz Undav has achieved many great things in his career:
- Union SG
- Challenger Pro League: 2020–21
- VfB Stuttgart
- DFB-Pokal: 2024–25
- Individual Awards
- Belgian Pro League top goalscorer: 2021–22
- Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year: 2021–22
- Bundesliga Player of the Month: November 2023, January 2024, March 2026
- VDV Bundesliga Newcomer of the Season: 2023–24
- VDV Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2025–26
Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Havelse | 2014–15 | Regionalliga Nord | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2015–16 | Regionalliga Nord | 32 | 16 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 16 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Regionalliga Nord | 32 | 16 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | 35 | 21 | ||||
| Total | 67 | 32 | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | 72 | 37 | |||||
| Eintracht Braunschweig II | 2017–18 | Regionalliga Nord | 18 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 18 | 9 | |||
| Meppen | 2018–19 | 3. Liga | 35 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 38 | 7 | |||
| 2019–20 | 3. Liga | 34 | 17 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 17 | ||||
| Total | 69 | 23 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 73 | 24 | |||||
| Union SG | 2020–21 | Belgian First Division B | 26 | 17 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 29 | 18 | |||
| 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 39 | 26 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 41 | 27 | ||||
| Total | 65 | 43 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | 70 | 45 | |||||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2022–23 | Premier League | 22 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 30 | 8 | ||
| VfB Stuttgart (loan) | 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 30 | 18 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 33 | 19 | |||
| VfB Stuttgart | 2024–25 | Bundesliga | 27 | 9 | 4 | 2 | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 13 | |
| 2025–26 | Bundesliga | 29 | 19 | 6 | 3 | — | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 25 | ||
| Stuttgart total | 86 | 46 | 13 | 6 | — | 16 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 117 | 57 | |||
| Career total | 327 | 158 | 32 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 380 | 180 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2024 | 5 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 7 | 6 | |
| Total | 13 | 9 | |
List of International Goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 September 2024 | Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands | 4 |  Netherlands |
1–1 | 2–2 | 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A |
| 2 | 11 October 2024 | Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A |
| 3 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 4 | 30 March 2026 | MHP Arena, Stuttgart, Germany | 7 |  Ghana |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 5 | 31 May 2026 | Mewa Arena, Mainz, Germany | 8 |  Finland |
1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 6 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 7 | 14 June 2026 | NRG Stadium, Houston, United States | 10 |  Curaçao |
6–1 | 7–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup |
| 8 | 20 June 2026 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | 11 |  Ivory Coast |
1–1 | 2–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup |
| 9 | 2–1 |
