Mumbai: Something was missing… something beyond the scoreline, as Germany trailed Ivory Coast 1-0. The search for an equaliser fell on the shoulders of a talented frontline – Leroy Sane on the right, Florian Wirtz on the left, Kai Havertz in the centre with Jamal Musiala pulling strings from just behind. They played quick, fluid passes to each other, opened up channels, and created chances.
But could not find a finish in front of a strong and disciplined Ivorian defence. For all their vast talent and proven ability to score goals, the three are excellent attacking players but not bonafide strikers. Germany was missing a specialist frontman.
In stepped Deniz Undav from the bench. In the 30 minutes plus stoppage time that he was afforded, he scored both the goals to secure Germany’s passage to the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup for the first time since they won the title in 2014.
The 48 teams that are competing in North America for the biggest title there is in football have brought with them the best players they have. Germany is no different, but Die Mannschaft is at an interesting juncture in their footballing history.
Since they won their fourth World Cup, the team has failed to get past the group stage in the two subsequent editions. There has been trouble in transition as the team struggled to find replacements to take over from the retired Class of 2014.
Hope reignited when the Germans put in a commendable show at home in Euro 2024, losing in the quarter-finals to eventual champions Spain in extra time.
The goalkeeping problem still continues as Manuel Neuer had to be coaxed out of retirement to don the No.1 jersey again. As for the outfield positions, all the gaps seemed filled except for the striker.
The great German teams in the past have always boasted of a spearhead in their attack. There was the legendary Gerd Muller, Rudi Voeller, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Miroslav Klose, the co-record holder for most World Cup goals.
Germany had not found a replacement for Klose. Until Undav showed that he is more than capable of taking on the responsibility in front of goal. And in many ways, it should not be a surprise.
The 29-year-old who plays for Vfb Stuttgart scored 19 goals in the 2025-26 Bundesliga season, helping his team qualify for the Champions League.
Standing at 5-foot-10, he is not the tallest striker there is, but is strong, a quick dribbler, shields the ball well, and has an eye for goal – all skills that have seen him score three times and make two assists so far at this World Cup.
Yet he has remained out-of-favour with coach Julian Nagelsmann.
In a pre-tournament friendly against Ghana, he came off the bench to score the winning goal. The coach, however, was not too pleased.
“He wasn’t very involved in the game, had no actions before (the goal),” Nagelsmann was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “I didn’t think his performance was good.”
These were unusual comments made in public, but there is a theory that it was made because Undav had criticised the young coach for not giving him a spot in the starting lineup as often as he would have liked. It did not help his cause.
At the World Cup co-hosted by Mexico, United States and Canada, Nagelsmann has used Havertz as a false No.9 (a deeper-placed striker) rather than an out-and-out centre forward. Against tournament debutants Curacao, there was little to test them as they stomped to a 7-1 win.
The Ivorians however are a much stronger team. Germany were chasing the game after captain Franck Kessie scored in the 30th minute. There were clever sequences in the opposition box in search of an equaliser – quick and frequent passes coupled with movement into space – but nothing to give them a clear sight at goal.
Then, nine minutes after he came off the bench, Undav played a first-time pass to Nadiem Amiri on the right flank and charged up the field. Amiri delivered a perfect cross into the box that Undav volleyed home to make it 1-1.
In the 94th minute, Undav made some space inside the box and Felix Nmecha played a heavy pass towards him. With his right foot, he took a first touch to bring the ball under control. Swivelling, he hammered a shot with his left to put Germany ahead.
Quick, direct, efficient, and effective. It was a vintage German performance from a player hoping for a starting spot in a modern German team.
It was telling that at the full-time whistle, Nagelsmann marched straight to Undav to congratulate his striker. A spot in the starting XI may finally be in order.
