Deniz Undav’s World Cup success for Germany lifts Yazidi and Kurdish pride | National News

KHIRBET AL-GHAZAL, Syria (AP) — Deniz Undav, one of the surprise stars of this World Cup, is playing for powerhouse Germany. Yet with his Yazidi and Kurdish heritage, the 29-year-old striker is representing two communities on the global stage with no realistic chance of having World Cup teams of their own.

After entering as a substitute for Germany, Undav scored three goals and set up two more, putting him just behind top-scoring superstars such as Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé of France and Vinicius Jr. of Brazil on the leaderboard.

kAm&?52G[ H9@ :56?E:7:6D 2D 2 zFC5:D9 *2K:5:[ 😀 E96 D@? @7 *2K:5: C67F866D] w:D DF446DD 😀 36:?8 46=63C2E65 3J 2 D>2==[ :?DF=2C 4@>>F?:EJ E92E 92D 6?5FC65 564256D @7 @AAC6DD:@? 2?5 G:@=6?46[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^J2K:5:D\C6EFC?:?8\9@>6\:D=2>:4\DE2E6\@?D=2F89E\:C2B\5534_32h`5hg5gc6ce7324g73eeae3ceQm?@E23=J 2 a_`c @?D=2F89Ek^2m 😕 H9:49 E9@FD2?5D @7 *2K:5:D 😕 xC2BVD $:?;2C C68:@? H6C6 <:==65 @C 235F4E65 3J >:=:E2?ED 7C@> E96 xD=2>:4 $E2E6 8C@FA H9@ 4@?D:56C65 E96> E@ 36 96C6E:4D]k^Am

kAm#6DA@?5:?8 E@ 2 BF6DE:@? 2E 2 ?6HD 4@?76C6?46 (65?6D52J[ E96 v6C>2?\3@C? &?52G D2:5 96 9@A65 9:D A6C7@C>2?46 H@F=5 :?DA:C6 72?D 6G6CJH96C6[ 6DA64:2==J H:E9:? E96 *2K:5: 4@>>F?:EJ]k^Am

kAm“x 2=H2JD 86E E96 ?6HD 7C@> >J A2C6?ED 9@H E96J G:6H >6[ 9@H E96J D66 >6 2?5 :E’D >2<:?8 >6 AC@F5[ J@F @H[ E92E H6 7:?2==J 92G6 D@>63@5J[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

k9am&?52G 92D 72?D 24C@DD $JC:2[ v6C>2?J 2?5 xC2Bk^9am

kAmx? E96 G:==286 @7 z9:C36E 2=\v92K2= 😕 ?@CE962DE6C? $JC:2[ 2 D>2== 8C@FA @7 *2K:5:D 82E96C65 %9FCD52J ?:89E E@ H2E49 E96 v6C>2?J\t4F25@C >2E49 2E E96 9@>6 @7 4@>>F?:EJ =6256C xD>2:= s2=27] |2?J C6D:56?ED 2C6 C6=2E65 E@ &?52G’D >@E96C[ H9@ 😀 7C@> 2 ?@H\56D6CE65 ?62C3J G:==286 H9@D6 C6D:56?ED =67E 7@C 64@?@>:4 C62D@?D @C 7=65 5FC:?8 $JC:2’D =@?8 4:G:= H2C E92E 3682? 😕 a_“]k^Am

kAms2=27 D2:5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^86C>2?J\H@C=5\4FA\:G@CJ\4@2DE\67g72_4ad4e_64a42h6eg6hd53533254Qm&?52G’D (@C=5 rFA A6C7@C>2?46k^2m 92D >256 9:> “2 DJ>3@= E92E D9@HD *2K:5:D 42? C6249 2 9:896C A@D:E:@? 2?5 36 D66? H:E9 C6DA64E]”k^Am

kAm“(96? A6@A=6 D66 2 *2K:5: 6?E6C:?8 E96 7:6=5[ D4@C:?8 8@2=D 2?5 492?8:?8 E96 C6DF=E @7 >2E496D[ :E 492?86D AF3=:4 A6C46AE:@?[” 96 D2:5] “xE E6==D E96 H@C=5 E92E *2K:5:D 92G6 2 C@=6 😕 E96 H@C=5]”k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^:C2?\H2C\A\:C2B\EFC<6J\4hf5fd6dh6ec_3eaf`cc64fhe7cgffa6Qm%96 zFC5Dk^2m 2C6 2>@?8 E96 =2C86DE DE2E6=6DD 6E9?:4 8C@FAD 😕 E96 H@C=5[ H:E9 C@F89=J b_ >:==:@? =:G:?8 2D >:?@C:E:6D 😕 %FC<6J[ xC2B[ xC2? 2?5 $JC:2] *2K:5:D 2C6 2 zFC5:D9\DA62<:?8 C6=:8:@FD >:?@C:EJ >@DE=J 7@F?5 😕 $JC:2[ xC2B 2?5 %FC<6J] %96C6 2C6 2C@F?5 abd[___ *2K:5:D =:G:?8 😕 v6C>2?J E@52J[ 244@C5:?8 E@ xC72? ~CE24[ 492:C @7 E96 r6?EC2= r@F?4:= @7 *2K:5:D 😕 v6C>2?J] |2?J 2CC:G65 27E6C E96 a_`c @?D=2F89E]k^Am

kAm“&?E:= ?@H[ H6 92G6 >@DE=J 366? @H? 2D G:4E:>D @7 G:@=6?46[” ~CE24 D2:5] “(96?6G6C H6 DA@<6 23@FE *2K:5:D[ H6 2=H2JD 925 E@ E2=< 23@FE 86?@4:56[ 5:D4C:>:?2E:@?[ 2?5 5:DA=246>6?E] xE >2<6D FD G6CJ AC@F5 2?5 92AAJ E@ 36 23=6 E@ E2=< 23@FE D@>6E9:?8 A@D:E:G6]”k^Am

kAmx? xC2B — 9@>6 E@ E96 =2C86DE 4@?46?EC2E:@? @7 *2K:5:D 😕 E96 H@C=5 2?5 E96 =@42E:@? @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^86?6C2=\?6HD\5agda6e6bagfc5b_3dg4cc7_a67f_323QmE96:C >@DE 9@=J D:E6[ E96 {2=:D9 E6>A=6k^2m — >6>36CD @7 E96 4@>>F?:EJ 2=D@ 92G6 6>3C2465 &?52GVD DF446DD]k^Am

kAm“xE >2<6D >6 G6CJ 92AAJ E@ D66 2 *2K:5: 3C:?8:?8 @FC ?2>6 E@ E96 (@C=5 rFA 2?5 A=2J:?8 😕 7C@?E @7 E96 H9@=6 H@C=5[” D2:5 {FB>2? $=6:>2?[ DA@<6DA6CD@? 7@C E96 E6>A=6]k^Am

kAms:J2C q2<:C[ ah[ 2 *2K:5: 7C@> $:?;2C[ 9@A6D E@ EC2G6= E@ v6C>2?J @?6 52J E@ D66 &?52G A=2J]k^Am

kAmw:D 72>:=J Q42>6 7C@> 2 A=246 H96C6 9:D 6E9?:4:EJ 2?5 C6=:8:@? H6C6 ?@E 2AAC64:2E65[ J6E 96 😀 ?@H C64@8?:K65 2?5 G2=F65 3J 2 8C62E E62> =:<6 v6C>2?J[” q2<:C D2:5] “w6 6>6C865 7C@> E96 H@>3 @7 DF776C:?8[ 2?5 H6 H:D9 9:> 6G6CJ DF446DD]”k^Am

k9am&?52G 92D 72465 23FD6 7@C 9:D 96C:E286[ 3FE 9:D A@AF=2C:EJ DFC86Dk^9am

kAmpE E:>6D[ &?52G 92D 72465 23FD6 @G6C 9:D 96C:E286 7C@> DA64E2E@CD 2?5 @? D@4:2= >65:2]k^Am

kAm(96? 9:D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>2:?K\7C2?<7FCE\DEFEE82CE\A2F=:\3F?56D=:82\D4@C6D\hbfcb_cbacbdb6gged5ebcgcd5h73b34Qm4=F3 E62> $EFEE82CEk^2m A=2J65 😕 %FC<6J 2E u6?6C32946 =2DE J62C[ v6C>2? >65:2 C6A@CE65 E96 @FE3C62< @7 @3D46?6 492?ED 23@FE 9:D >@E96C] %H@ zFC5:D9 2?E:\5:D4C:>:?2E:@? 8C@FAD D2:5 D@4:2= >65:2 :?DF=ED H6C6 A2CE @7 2 8C@H:?8 42>A2:8? @7 “C24:DE 2?5 6E9?:42==J >@E:G2E65 9@DE:=:EJ]”k^Am

kAm&?52G’D 564:D:@? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^86C>2?J\892?2\7C:6?5=J\H@C=5\4FA\33e_ge2bc7bhg_c_hbd4ge_2dfa6a_ggQmE@ C6AC6D6?E v6C>2?Jk^2m 2?5 ?@E %FC<6J[ 2D @E96C 6=:8:3=6 v6C>2?\3@C? A=2J6CD 92G6 5@?6 😕 E96 A2DE[ 2=D@ C6DF=E65 😕 D@>6 @?=:?6 9@DE:=:EJ 7C@> %FC<:D9 72?D] qFE ?@H[ 9:D A@AF=2C:EJ 😀 DFC8:?8]k^Am

kAmsüK6? %6<<2=[ 2 v6C>2? 5@4F>6?E2CJ 7:=>>2<6C 2?5 2FE9@C @7 zFC5:D9 *2K:5: 96C:E286[ 😀 7C@> ?@CE9H6DE6C? v6C>2?J[ =:<6 &?52G] $96 😀 E96 4@\7@F?56C @7 $4@C:?8 v:C=DW2DE6C:D 5:G6CD6 324<8C@F?5D]k^Am

kAm“%96C6 567:?:E6=J 😀 2 s6?:K &?52G 67764E 2?5 :E’D G6CJ :>A@CE2?E[” D96 D2:5[ C676C6?4:?8 49:=5C6? H9@ 42? 46=63C2E6 E96:C 96C:E286 2?5 766= E96J 36=@?8 😕 v6C>2?J 2E 2 E:>6 H96? >:8C2E:@? 😀 @7E6? EC62E65 2D 2 A@=:E:42= AC@3=6>]k^Am

kAm“xE 😀 ?@ 4@:?4:56?46 E92E 96 A=2JD H:E9 E9:D =:89E?6DD 2?5 7C665@>[” %6<<2= 25565] “!6@A=6 2C6 2D<:?8 9@H 4@>6 96’D D@ 8@@5 F?56C AC6DDFC6 @C 96 42? 4@A6 H:E9 D@ >F49 AC6DDFC6n q642FD6 96 5@6D?’E @H :E 2?J @E96C H2J] %92E 😀 E96 s}p[ E92E 😀 E96 C6D:=:6?46] ]]] %92E’D 9@H 96 D4@C6D E96D6 8@2=D 3642FD6 H92E 😀 E92E AC6DDFC6 4@>A2C65 E@ 36:?8 zFC5:D9 @C *2K:5:n”k^Am

kAm(96? &?52G D4@C65 @?6 @7 E9@D6 8@2=D[ 282:?DE rFC242@[ 96 3C@<6 :?E@ 2 *2K:5:\:?DA:C65 ;:8 H:E9 9:D 92?5D 4=2DA65 369:?5 9:D 324<] w6 H2D ;@:?65 3J p?E@?:@ #ü5:86C[ 2 q=24< v6C>2? D@446C DE2C H9@ 92D 72465 C24:DE 2?5 2?E:\|FD=:> 23FD6 5FC:?8 9:D 42C66C[ 😕 H92E %6<<2= 42==65 “@?6 @7 E96 9:89=:89ED[ ?@ >2EE6C 9@H E9:D (@C=5 rFA 8@6D 7C@> 96C6]”k^Am

kAm“s2?4:?8 😀 2 7@C> @7 6IAC6DD:?8 C6D:DE2?46 7@C FD[” %6<<2= 6>A92D:K65] “(6 52?46 @? E96 8C2G6D @7 @FC 5625] ~FC >2?EC2 😀 E92E C6D:DE2?46 😀 =:76] w6’D 52?4:?8 E96C6 7@C 9:D 7@C672E96CD H9@ H6C6 @AAC6DD65]”k^Am

kAm|29>@F5 z2?23:[ 2 zFC5 7C@> xC3:=[ >@G65 E@ q6C=:? 😕 a_a_ 2?5 H@C2?J ;6CD6J]k^Am

kAm“&?7@CEF?2E6=J[ 7@C FD zFC5D[ H6 5@?’E 92G6 2 E62> 3642FD6 H6 5@?’E 92G6 2 4@F?ECJ[” 96 D2:5] “}@H[ H96? 2 zFC5:D9 A=2J6C 😀 😕 2 E62>[ H6 92G6 E@ 36 72?D @7 :E] xE 5@6D?’E >2EE6C H92E E62> :E :D]”k^Am

k9C ^m

kAm|2CE2?J C6A@CE65 7C@> xC3:=[ xC2Bj u296J 7C@> q6C=:? 2?5 t==:?8H@CE9 7C@> sF6DD6=5@C7[ v6C>2?J] p! $A@CED (C:E6C #@? q=F> 😕 t2DE #FE96C7@C5[ }6H y6CD6J[ 4@?EC:3FE65 C6A@CE:?8]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmpDD@4:2E65 !C6DD C6=:8:@? 4@G6C286 C646:G6D DFAA@CE E9C@F89 E96 p!’D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3:E]=J^2A\EH:CQm4@==23@C2E:@?k^2m H:E9 %96 r@?G6CD2E:@? &$[ H:E9 7F?5:?8 7C@> {:==J t?5@H>6?E x?4] %96 p! 😀 D@=6=J C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C E9:D 4@?E6?E]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^7:72\H@C=5\4FAQm$66 >@C6 @7 p!’D (@C=5 rFA 4@G6C286 96C6k^2mk^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.