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FIFA names Germany star Deniz Undav as best player of World Cup group stage
Germany national team forward Deniz Undav has been named the best player of the 2026 World Cup group stage according to FIFA's performance rankings. Despite playing only 86 minutes, Undav left stars like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe behind.
Germany national team forward Deniz Undav has written his name into international football's top ranks with his performance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage. According to FIFA's power rankings based on in-match data, Undav was named the tournament's best player.
The 29-year-old striker, who plays for Stuttgart, scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in the group stage despite playing only 86 minutes. This contribution has been recorded as the highest goal production per minute played.
Undav surpasses stars in FIFA rankings
Scoring 8.38 points in FIFA's official power rankings, Undav left behind Argentine Lionel Messi, the tournament's top scorer. Messi ranked second with 8.33 points, while French star Kylian Mbappe came third with 8.12 points.
The top 10 list included names such as Brazil's Vinicius Junior, Switzerland's Yohann Manzambi, France's Ousmane Dembele, Norway's Erling Haaland, Netherlands' Crysencio Summerville, New Zealand's Elijah Just, and Morocco's Ismail Sabiri. Moroccan Sabiri managed to enter the top 10 with 3 goals and 7.07 points.
Praise from German media
German newspaper Bild said of Undav: "Simply put, he is the most effective among the players mentioned." The paper highlighted his achieving such high efficiency despite limited playing time.
Nagelsmann's choice sparks debate
Despite Undav's impressive statistics, head coach Julian Nagelsmann's decision not to start him in the first eleven has caused surprise in the German press. Criticism was particularly directed at Undav being left on the bench even in the match against Ecuador, which was a formality for Germany.
Speaking on the matter, Nagelsmann said: "There is always a debate about this. We could start him and benefit from his quality from the beginning, but our current thinking is for him to come off the bench and continue his impact."
The young coach continued: "If Undav starts the game, we will most likely have to take off another player. When the match gets tough, who else has the ability to put the ball into the back of the net?"
Expected to be on the bench again for Paraguay match
Ahead of Germany's crucial round of 32 match against Paraguay, Bild predicts Undav will again start on the bench. Nagelsmann's choice is a matter of curiosity for the match, which will kick off at 11:30 PM Mecca and Doha time.
The German press emphasized that despite being the tournament's best player according to FIFA rankings, Undav will remain Nagelsmann's biggest trump card.
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