"Call me back when it's time for nominations": Julian Nagelsmann clarifies reports of contact with VfB striker Deniz Undav

"You can’t leave a striker with that kind of record – both goals and assists – at home," Nagelsmann emphasised at his press conference on Thursday afternoon, explaining why, given Undav’s current form, he had no choice but to call up the VfB Stuttgart forward for the upcoming international matches for the first time since June last year. Undav had received "feedback from me in December on what he needs to do, apart from scoring goals and providing assists, to get more into the spotlight," the national coach continued.

Due to his top form, Undav had been repeatedly asked about a return to the DFB squad in recent weeks. The 29-year-old made headlines with an interview in Bild, in which he revealed that he had not been in contact with Nagelsmann since the winter break. “He doesn’t need to talk to me either. My arguments are on the pitch. That’s what I’m trying to show him. As long as I’m scoring, it’ll be hard to get past me,” Undav said in early March.

Nagelsmann, meanwhile, emphasised that "everything is fine" between him and the VfB star. Undav was by no means annoyed that the DFB coach hadn’t given him a ring in the meantime. "Just ring me again when you’re selecting the squad; I know what to do," Undav assured him.

Undav had not been selected for the last three call-up windows. In September and October, he was sidelined by a torn medial ligament in his knee. Although Undav was fit again by November and quickly regained his form after his injury lay-off, Nagelsmann chose not to select him at that time.

Undav thus played the last of his six international matches to date (three goals) in early June 2025, when he came on as a substitute in the second half of the Nations League third-place play-off against France. Despite his prolonged absence, Undav currently stands a good chance of being Germany’s first-choice centre-forward at this summer’s World Cup.

Should he maintain his form in the coming weeks, Nagelsmann could give Undav the nod over the other two strikers named for the March internationals. Nick Woltemade is going through a difficult spell at Newcastle United, whilst Arsenal’s Kai Havertz must first regain his best possible form following protracted injury problems.

It is highly likely that Undav will start in the first of the two upcoming friendlies, against Switzerland in Basel on 27 March. Three days later, the DFB team will face Ghana in a friendly in Stuttgart. Before the World Cup kicks off for Nagelsmann’s side on 14 June with their first group match against Curaçao, there are two further friendlies against Finland (31 May) and the USA (6 June).