From factory floor to World Cup star - Germany's super-sub Undav

With his double against the Ivorians, Undav became the first German to score in his first two World Cup appearances since Miroslav Klose in 2002.

That is elite company - but at one stage even taking part in a World Cup was a distant dream for Undav, who was rejected by Werder Bremen aged 14.

At 17, he was earning £120 a week as a semi-professional in the German fourth tier while balancing his footballing career with eight-hour shifts at a factory.

"When Werder told me at 14 that I didn't have a future with them because I was too small, it broke my heart," Undav said in an interview with Belgian outlet 7sur7.

"But I did not abandon hope. I left the family home at 17 to sign for Havelse in the fourth division in Germany where I combined playing and training with working full-time, eight-hour days operating a laser machine in a factory.

"I got up around 4am, went to the factory, then I went to training and got back home around 8pm... before doing it all again the next day.

"I had to do that job for the money to live because I couldn't survive on the money from the football alone."

Undav moved to Belgian second division side Union Saint-Gilloise in 2020, helping them earn promotion the following year and then scoring 25 goals in the top flight - which earned him a move to Brighton.

But after only scoring five goals in 22 Premier League appearances in 2022-23 season, he was loaned out to Stuttgart who signed him permanently in 2024.

Undav hit 19 Bundesliga goals in 2025-26 - finishing second behind Harry Kane in the top scoring list - to earn his World Cup spot.