*This content was translated by AI.
A fourth-division striker who used to wake up at 4 a.m. and head to a factory has now emerged as a World Cup hero for German football. The protagonist is Denis Undav (30, Stuttgart).
On the 21st (Korea time), Germany defeated Ivory Coast 2-1 in the second group stage match of the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup at Toronto Stadium in Toronto, Canada. With this victory, Germany recorded two consecutive wins (6 points), securing a spot in the Round of 32 regardless of the outcome of their final group stage match against Ecuador. Earlier, Germany had also secured a decisive 7-1 victory over Curaçao in the first match.
The hero was Undav. Substituted in during the 25th minute of the second half while Germany trailed 0-1, Undav scored a crucial equalizer just eight minutes later. Then, in the fourth minute of stoppage time in the second half, he netted a dramatic winning goal. Receiving a pass from teammate Felix Nmecha (Dortmund), he shook the net with a spectacular left-footed turning shot.
Earlier, Undav also scored his World Cup debut goal in the first match against Curaçao. Undav is the first German player to score in both of his first two World Cup matches since the "legend" Miroslav Klose at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
Thanks to this, Germany has secured a spot in the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in 12 years. Reuters also reported, "Undav's late heroics against Ivory Coast saved Germany and propelled them into the knockout stage for the first time since 2014," adding, "Undav is creating strong reasons to demand a starting spot. Not only did he score a multi-goal performance in this match, but he has also continued an incredible scoring run, netting nine goals in Germany's last eight matches."
Julian Nagelsmann, head coach of the German national team, left the door open for Undav's potential starting role. After the match, Nagelsmann said, "Perhaps he could start in the next game." Undav, who started as a joker, is now eyeing a spot as Germany's starting striker.
In fact, Undav is a player who has experienced many ups and downs. He faced no small amount of frustration from a young age. A product of the Werder Bremen youth academy, he was not highly rated due to his poor physical condition. In an interview with a media outlet in 2022, Undav reflected, "When I was 14, Bremen told me I was too small and had no future. My heart broke at that time. But I did not give up."
Undav indeed did not give up. He endured for a long time and ultimately achieved a life turnaround. While playing for TSV Havelse in Germany's fourth division, his monthly salary was only 225 pounds (about 400,000 won). Unable to make a living solely from football, he had to work eight hours a day as a laser machine operator at a nearby factory. He often woke up at 4 a.m. to head to the factory and returned home only after 8 p.m., after finishing training.
Matthias Limbach, director of Havelse, told The Athletic in the UK, "Undav had to rely on his family's support to cover his living expenses. What matters to our club is not money. It is giving players like Denis a second chance." He added, "Because we were confident he would become an excellent goal scorer, we worked hard to persuade him to continue playing for Havelse."
Limbach's judgment was not wrong. Undav gradually revealed his talent at Havelse, scoring 16 goals in his first full season and 21 goals in the following season. He then moved to SV Meppen in Germany's third division, played for Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise, and finally transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion (England) in 2022, successfully entering the big league he had dreamed of.
His time at Brighton was not perfectly successful. However, after transferring to Stuttgart, Undav exploded again. In the 2025-2026 season, he led the team's attack with 19 goals and six assists in 29 league matches. Stuttgart also achieved an above-expectation result, finishing fourth in the league.
Undav's upward trajectory has continued with the national team. Having made the final roster for the North American World Cup, he scored in two consecutive matches, leading Germany to the Round of 32. Once labeled as having "no future due to his short stature," the fourth-division striker who used to head to a factory at 4 a.m. has now become a World Cup hero for German football.
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
