VfB Stuttgart's Deniz Undav delivers timely reminder to Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann ahead of FIFA World Cup
With a little over three months to go until Germany’s FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Curaçao, VfB Stuttgart frontman Deniz Undav sent Die Nationalmannschaft coach Julian Nagelsmann a timely reminder of his prowess with his performance at Mainz on Saturday.
Trailing Urs Fischer’s side 1-0 with a quarter of an hour remaining, Stuttgart had their backs against the wall. The hosts had squandered numerous opportunities to add to their narrow lead, but remained firmly in control of proceedings, their sights firmly set on a precious victory in their battle to beat the drop.
However, by the time the clock hit 77 minutes, Undav had helped the visitors turn the game on its head in sensational style.
His touch from Atakan Karazor’s cross may have inadvertently teed up fellow forward Ermedin Demirović for Stuttgart’s equaliser, but there was nothing accidental about his confident run and clinical finish from Tiago Tomás’ pass just 61 seconds later.
Though not enough to earn VfB all three points – Danny da Costa rescued a draw for Mainz in stoppage time – Undav’s 15th goal in 21 league appearances this term cemented his place near the front of a queue of forward players competing for a place in Nagelsmann’s side this summer.
Just last week, the Germany boss described the number nine position as “an issue we need to resolve”, before naming Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Tim Kleindienst and AC Milan loanee Niklas Füllkrug as potential candidates for the role.
Watch: Mainz 2-2 Stuttgart - highlights
With Kleindienst having missed most of the campaign through injury and Füllkrug currently on only one goal in 20 appearances this term, the hint of indignation in Undav’s response prior to Saturday’s trip to the MEWA Arena came as no surprise.
“I have the best scoring record, so I don’t understand why people talk about other strikers and not me, [or] why my name always crops up as a false nine,” said Undav, who has been deployed off Demirović’s shoulder since the Bosnian forward’s return from injury. “I’m just a good, traditional striker who is also a good number ten. It’s not my fault I have that ability.”
Indeed, only Bayern Munich superstar Harry Kane has scored more Bundesliga goals in 2025/26 than Undav, who has found the net six more times than the next best German attacker in the division – Eintracht Frankfurt’s Jonathan Burkardt.
He has only failed to score in three of VfB’s 10 Bundesliga games since the turn of the year – a run of form that has not gone unnoticed by Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeneß, who appears to be running out of superlatives to describe the 29-year-old’s ruthless nose for goal.
“He’s a striker who can create something out of nothing,” Hoeneß said after Saturday’s 2-2 draw. “He can influence a game from one moment to the next. You always want to have him on the pitch. Against Mainz, he did what he’s been doing for a number of weeks now.”
If Undav can maintain that prolific record between now and the end of the season, a place in Nagelsmann’s starting XI against Caraçao on 14 June might just be his.
Watch: Deniz Undav in the form of his life
“My numbers are good,” added the Stuttgart No.26, who has scored three goals in his six senior Germany outings to date. “I keep delivering week after week and am trying to prove myself that way.
“As long as I keep scoring, it will be difficult to look beyond me.”
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