Deniz Undav wrote his name into 2026 World Cup history. The Kurdish-Yazidi striker scored twice as Germany came from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in their Group E clash, sending Die Mannschaft into the Round of 32. The match was played on 20 June 2026 at Toronto Stadium.
Off the Bench, Turned the Game
Germany struggled early. Ivory Coast took a surprise lead in the 30th minute through captain Franck Kessié. Germany had two first-half goals disallowed by VAR, and the break came with the Elephants 1-0 up.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann made a triple change in the 60th minute: Sané, Musiala and Pavlović came off; Undav, Amiri and Leweling came on. That decision changed everything.
A Match-Winning Brace
Just 8 minutes after coming on, Undav leveled the score in the 68th minute with a clinical finish from a Felix Nmecha pass, sending the German fans in Toronto into raptures.
The defining moment came deep in stoppage time. In the 90+4th minute, Undav struck again to make it 2-1 and seal the win. With it, Germany reached 6 points in Group E, securing top spot and a place in the Round of 32.
Three Goals in Two Matches
This performance crowned Undav’s World Cup breakout. He had already scored in Germany’s 7-1 opening win over Curaçao. With three goals in just two games, Undav has climbed into the upper reaches of the World Cup’s top-scorer race.
A Kurd Shines While Türkiye Stays Silent
Undav’s rise highlights another story. Türkiye — who never called him up — is having a difficult tournament: through two matches (a 2-0 loss to Australia and a 1-0 loss to Paraguay) they have yet to score a single goal. Set against Undav’s three goals in two games for Germany, the contrast is striking.
Ahead of EURO 2024, Undav stated his identity plainly: "First of all, I have Kurdish roots." Born and raised in Germany to a Kurdish-Yazidi family, he is today one of the brightest names in Germany’s World Cup squad.
What’s Next?
Germany face Ecuador on 25 June in their final group match. If Undav keeps this form, he will remain one of the tournament’s most talked-about names.
Sources: FIFA official match centre, ESPN, CBS Sports and independent news outlets. Match result and goals verified from official sources. Images belong to the Amedspor News archive.
Related: Who is Deniz Undav?