EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Deniz Undav has three goals and two assists in 69 minutes at the World Cup, averaging a goal contribution every 13.8 minutes for a rate topping Lionel Messi (37.4), Kylian Mbappé (48.8) and Erling Haaland (51.2).
And the 29-year-old striker still hasn't earned a place in Germany's starting lineup.
“If I weren’t happy, if I wasn’t content, I wouldn’t be here,” he said during a news conference Wednesday ahead of Germany's
group stage finale against Ecuador. “I accept the role”
Germany is bouncing back from consecutive group stage eliminations after winning its fourth title in 2014. Die Mannschaft has clinched Group E and will start the knockout phase against a third-place team, possibly Paraguay or Australia, on Monday at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
While Germany is seeking its 12th straight victory, which would tie the team record set in 1979-80, Ecuador has one point and likely needs a victory to have a chance reach the knockout rounds.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said he planned only forced lineup changes. Defender Nico Schlotterbeck will miss the rest of the tournament after tearing a left ankle ligament against Ivory Coast on Saturday, and left back Nathaniel Brown is out because of an adductor problem. Antonio Rüdiger and David Raum are likely to take their places.
“We want to prepare ourselves for the knockout phase,” Nagelsmann said. “We all say that Deniz really would deserve to be in the starting lineup but we have an idea and we talked about it with Deniz and other players and tomorrow we will do the rotations that are necessary.”
Undav played for Havelse, Braunschweig and Meppen in Germany’s lower tiers from 2017-20, then joined Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium’s second tier and helped the club win promotion. He debuted with Brighton in England’s Premier League for the 2022-23 season and switched to Stuttgart for 2023-24.
Coming off his third season with Stuttgart, Undav was second in the Bundesliga with 19 goals last season and trailed only Harry Kane’s 36. He made his Germany debut in March 2024 and has nine goals in 11 international appearances — just three of them starts.
He entered in the 64th minute of the opening 7-1 win over Curaçao and had a goal and two assists, then came on in the 60th minute against Ivory Coast and scored twice as Die Mannschaft rallied for a 2-1 victory.
Nagelsmann apologized this spring for comments he made after Undav entered at the start of the second half in a March friendly against Ghana and scored a tiebreaking 88th-minute goal. Nagelsmann said Undav didn’t have the necessary stamina to be a starter and scored because his legs were fresh.
"Whether I’m in the starting lineup or later, it doesn’t matter,” Undav said, seated next to his coach. “It’s important that the team wins. And I joined from the bench twice and we won the game. I’m very happy about that.”
Nagelsmann also plans to stay with 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who returned to the national team for the World Cup after a two-year absence, displacing Oliver Baumann. Nagelsmann said goalkeeper coach Andreas Kronenberg spoke with Baumann about the decision.
"Oliver really understood," Nagelsmann said. “I understand completely from the human side and if we only approached it that way it would be obvious, but we have to look at the large picture. It’s not always pleasant to make these decisions but those decisions have to be made.”
Adidas, the German team's equipment supplier, ran out of the letter V for a short time because of the popularity among fans wanting the jerseys of Undaz, Kai Havertz and Aleksandar Pavlovic. Supply has since been restocked.
“My friends, my family already have a jersey. I really didn’t have to order anything new,” Undav said. “I'm very honored by it.”
Ecuador entered with a 19-game unbeaten streak before giving up a 90th-minute goal in an opening 1-0 loss to Ivory Coast. John Yeboah and Alan Minda hit crossbar in first half against the Elephants and outshot Curaçao 28-10 in a 0-0 draw, stymied by Eloy Room's 15 saves
"I am convinced that we have a chance to meet our goals," Ecuador coach Sebastián Beccacece said. “We'll have the taste of happiness if we win and the taste of sorrow if we don’t and that’s life for you."
Ecuador's coach said his family was confronted by an angry supporter after Saturday's game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
“I talked to my wife, my daughters. They told me what happened. I haven’t seen it,” he said. “The first thing I asked was whether anything serious had happened. They said no. Nothing. And at the end of the day, I interpret this as a fan feeling hurt because of the results and then a daughter defending her father. I think anyone should be able to express themselves without reaching this level of confrontation.”
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