Representation matters so much
Seeing someone from such a persecuted community shine on the biggest stage is incredibly moving. It's more than just goals-it's a powerful statement of resilience and pride.
Deniz Undav’s World Cup success for Germany lifts Yazidi and Kurdish pride
KHIRBET AL-GHAZAL, Syria: 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.