Deniz Undav's super-sub surge puts Julian Nagelsmann under pressure

Deniz Undav scored two goals in 34 minutes against Ivory Coast, and he now has 3 goals and 2 assists in 2 World Cup appearances. That output is the joint-most by a substitute at a World Cup since 1966, tying Roger Milla's 1990 record. Germany have a selection call on their hands, because Julian Nagelsmann has to decide whether the player doing the damage from the bench should now start.

Undav's numbers and the case to start him

The production is hard to dismiss. Undav has 3 goals and 2 assists in only 64 minutes at the tournament, and his average World Cup rating sits at 8.6. Kai Havertz was the preferred striker in Germany's earlier wins, but that case looks weaker after Germany vs Ivory Coast; Havertz had a 6.2 rating, while Undav's came in at 8.3.

Nagelsmann has been open about the debate. Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: "Yes, definitely. I said before we can talk a lot about the different approaches. Why should I ruin his flow? He came in twice and got goals twice."

He added: "When the game opens up he is great moving around. I could say keep your flow and it's better you come in as the finisher. He really reached the highest point for the World Cup. I could have him in the starting line-up. Every player would love to start, but I think he is happy as it is now because he played an important role and we are happy with his performance. For Deniz it was clear, he gave us a lot in the last game when he was a sub. Deniz doesn't need to be prepared, he can jump in right away."

That is the real issue now. The manager has already admitted Undav could start, but the performance record from the bench gives him a strong argument to leave things alone. Undav is not just scoring late, he is changing games quickly.

The selection call Germany cannot avoid

Nagelsmann's preference for Havertz is still part of the picture, and he had already publicly questioned Undav's comments before this game. But the latest performance makes the old choice harder to defend. Undav said after the win: "It's a great feeling. I wanted to have it last time, it didn't work. Its wonderful, a fantastic feeling. For me to get the trophy is extraordinary, but the important thing is we won the game and go into the next round and see what happens."

That is a sensible place to leave it. Undav has done enough to force the conversation, and the conversation is no longer about whether he can influence matches at this level. It is about whether Germany can keep asking him to do it after kickoff rather than from the start.

Joshua Kimmich completed 66 passes and produced 3 key passes against Ivory Coast, while Yan Diomande completed 4 dribbles and kept Germany's right side busy. F. Kessié also scored for Ivory Coast, so this was not a case of Germany strolling through a mismatch. Even so, Undav's 34-minute burst and the 8.6 average rating have pushed him into the centre of the discussion before the next round.