Deniz Undav

Professional Footballer · Germany National Team · VfB Stuttgart

Caste: Mirid

Origin: Germany · Family roots in Türkiye and Syria

Deniz Undav is a Yazidi German professional footballer, born on 19 July 1996 in Varel and raised in Achim, Lower Saxony. He began playing for TSV Achim before joining Werder Bremen’s academy, where he was released as a youth player. His route to elite football led through SC Weyhe, TSV Havelse, Eintracht Braunschweig II and SV Meppen. The decisive breakthrough came in Belgium with Union Saint Gilloise, where he became league top scorer and was named Professional Footballer of the Year. After joining Brighton and Hove Albion, he returned to Germany with VfB Stuttgart and established himself in the Bundesliga and Champions League. Undav made his senior debut for Germany in March 2024, represented the country at UEFA Euro 2024 and became one of Germany’s standout players at the 2026 World Cup. His rise from the lower divisions and factory work to international football has made him a symbol of persistence. For many Yazidis in Germany and across the diaspora, seeing a Yazidi player succeed on football’s largest stage became a moment of shared pride.

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