Germany's Deniz Undav has emerged as a surprising contender for the World Cup's Golden Boot in his tournament debut, amassing three goals and two assists in just 67 minutes of play.
Undav, 29, has made a significant impact as a super sub, contributing the most goal involvements by a substitute since 1990. His performance has been crucial in helping Germany secure the top spot in Group E and advance to the knockout stage for the first time since 2014.
"Deniz has an incredible striker's instinct," Germany's manager Julian Nagelsmann said. "As soon as space opens up, he's incredibly clever in the way he moves... Deniz doesn't need to be prepared. He can jump in right away."
Undav's journey to this point has been marked by perseverance. After spending five years in Werder Bremen's youth academy, he was released due to his size. At 17, he played in the fourth tier of German football, working factory shifts to supplement his income. His talent eventually surfaced in Belgium's second division, leading to a stint in the English Premier League with Brighton & Hove Albion before finding a home at VfB Stuttgart, where he recently finished second in scoring in the Bundesliga.
In his first World Cup game, Undav became the second German player to assist on two goals in a World Cup match as a substitute, while also scoring in a 7-1 victory. Against Ivory Coast, trailing 1-0, Undav entered in the 60th minute, equalizing the score eight minutes later with a volley and scoring the game-winning goal in stoppage time. This made him the first German in 24 years to score in his first two World Cup appearances.
"I'm over the moon," Undav said after the 2-1 win. "I had to laugh again. Even in Toronto, people are chanting my name... I'm enjoying it. I'm taking it all in."
Germany is set to face Ecuador on Thursday at MetLife Stadium. Nagelsmann indicated that Undav's role as a finisher coming off the bench might continue, despite his success, stating, "I think he is happy as it is now because he played an important role and we are happy with his performance."