Deniz Undav, the dynamic Stuttgart forward, concluded his Bundesliga commitments before joining Julian Nagelsmann’s German national squad in spectacular fashion. He netted two goals and provided an assist in Sunday’s thrilling 5-2 away win against Augsburg, elevating his league goal count to 18 for the season. Only Bayern Munich’s prolific striker, Harry Kane, with 31 goals, has surpassed Undav’s tally this year – a fact Undav humorously acknowledged.
Stuttgart’s visit to their regional rivals Augsburg was a resounding success for the entire team. Undav’s teammates, and fellow prospective German internationals, Chris Führich and Maximilian Mittelstädt, each contributed with assists. Nikolas Nartey, the Danish “comeback kid,” also found the back of the net, while Angelo Stiller, anticipated to join Undav in the DFB camp soon, also registered an assist.
For Undav, the undeniable star of the match, an equally significant outcome was his club’s ability to swiftly move past the disappointing Europa League elimination they suffered on Thursday. Undav himself was eager to express his thoughts and observations during his post-match interview.
Undav Reflects on Performance
“We aimed to channel that frustration,” Undav stated, referring to their mid-week loss to Porto. “I maintained composure for my first goal. For the second, I jokingly told Chris Führich — who had a chance himself but set me up for an easy finish — that he ‘better pass it.’ And my assist for Ermedin Demirovic’s goal [Stuttgart’s fifth] demonstrates I’m not an egomaniac.”
Undav’s post-match comments, especially regarding his three goal contributions, were delivered with characteristic good humor. His playful nature might be unfamiliar to those not closely following the German striker. Since his return to Germany in 2023, Undav has affectionately earned the moniker of German football’s “clown prince.”
His jesting, it turned out, wasn’t quite finished for the evening.
“I’m still going to catch Harry Kane!” Undav quipped with a chuckle. “But you can clearly see I’m not selfish. Many players might have tried for a hat-trick themselves [on Demirovic’s goal], but team spirit holds greater importance. What could be more satisfying than creating a scoring opportunity for a teammate?”
Concluding with thoughts on his upcoming international duty, Undav stated, “When I’m on the field, I aim to perform well and score. I certainly want to play, but ultimately, the national team coach will make that decision.”
