German national team striker Deniz Undav has made history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by becoming the first footballer of Ezidi origin to score a goal at the tournament.
The 29-year-old Stuttgart forward reached the milestone during Germany’s opening group-stage match against Curaçao. Undav entered the match as a substitute in the 64th minute and quickly became one of the key players on the pitch, scoring one goal and providing two assists.
His performance also placed him among a rare group of World Cup substitutes. Undav became the first player since James Rodríguez in 2014 to record one goal and two assists after coming on from the bench in a World Cup match.
Germany went on to defeat Curaçao 7–1, beginning its World Cup campaign with a strong result.
Undav was born on 19 July 1996 in Varel, Germany, and grew up in Achim, near Bremen. His parents are Ezidis from the Viranşehir district of Şanlıurfa province in southeastern Turkey. His grandfather moved to Germany after the period of instability that followed the 1980 military coup in Turkey, when many Ezidis left the region because of pressure and insecurity.
Undav is one of five children. His brother Rokat Undav is also a footballer and plays for TSV Achim.
For Ezidis, Undav’s goal represents a historic moment on the world’s biggest football stage. His achievement marks a proud milestone in international football and gives Ezidis another reason to celebrate representation in global sport.
