Meet the Backup Strikers Taking the World Cup By Storm

The big names have been shining so far at the World Cup. Argentina have scored five goals in their first two games at the tournament, and Lionel Messi has netted all of them. In fact, within 24 hours on matchday two, each of them, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Cristiano Ronaldo bagged themselves a brace, sending punters into delight. Before that, England's Harry Kane helped himself to two goals in the 4-2 win against Croatia, while Mikel Oyarzabal managed to finally get Spain's campaign up and running, striking twice in the 4-0 win against Saudi Arabia.

The bookies had pegged Oyarzabal and the Spanish as the overwhelming favourite to win the World Cup this summer before a ball was kicked. Some top crypto sports betting outlets had listed them as short as 4/1, with the likes of France and England trailing in their wake. Then, La Roja were stunned in their opener, being held to a goalless draw by lowly debutants Cape Verde, and the odds recalibrated almost immediately.

But while the big dogs are barking, some nations have had to rely on their backup strikers as their source of goals so far this summer. Here are three such strikers who have put their countries on their backs in their hour of need.

Deniz Undav

Heading into the World Cup, there was a genuine unknown as to who Julian Nagelsmann would name as his starting striker for Germany. Kai Havertz was the favourite but was coming off the back of an injury-riddled year. Plus, he's not a true out-and-out striker, but rather an attacking midfielder who has been pushed further forward due to his ability to press from the front and link up play with midfield.

Some German fans would have liked to have seen Stuttgart's Deniz Undav given the nod. He was the only one of Germany's four strikers — namely Havertz, Nick Woltemade, and Maximilian Beier — in any kind of form. The former Brighton man headed to North America fresh off a blistering 25-goal campaign with The Reds, more goals than all three of his striking teammates combined. Still, however, it was Havertz who unsurprisingly got the nod, but for how long that lasts remains to be seen.

Undav netted off the bench in Germany's opener against Curacao, bagging the seventh in a 7-1 drubbing of the debutants. However, it was his exploits coming off the bench against the Ivory Coast that truly caught the eye. With Germany surprisingly trailing the Elephants by a goal to nil deep into the second half, it was the 29-year-old that manager Nagelsmann turned to, and boy, was he rewarded for that show of faith.

Firstly, Undav poked home from close range in the 69th minute to draw Germany level. Then, in the fourth minute of injury time, he struck again, lashing home a trademark finish from the edge of the area to hand Die Mannschaft a thrilling 2-1 win. After that display, surely Undav can't remain a backup option for the Germans for much longer.

Brian Brobbey

Donyell Malen headed to North America this summer as the undisputed first-choice striker for the Netherlands. He netted 14 goals in 18 Serie A games on loan at Roma throughout the second half of the recently finished 2025/26 season, rubber-stamping his status as one of Europe's most in-form strikers.

He duly started the Oranje's opener against Japan, but after uncharacteristically missing a slew of gilt-edged chances, the Dutch laboured to a 2-2 draw. Manager Ronald Koeman wasted no time in changing things up, turning to Sunderland's Brian Brobbey, the supposed backup, to start the second game against in-form Sweden. And much like Undav off the bench, the powerful striker would grasp his opportunity with both hands.

Brobbey immediately set about the task at hand, netting twice inside 17 minutes to set the Netherlands on their way to a thumping 5-1 win. The former Ajax man is now expected to lead the line for Koeman's side throughout the rest of the tournament, with Malen relegated to the bench. Should the goals dry up for Brobbey as well, then Malen will need to ensure he takes his second chance, assuming he gets another.

Promise David

No striker has had a stranger path to stardom than Canada's Promise David. Just three and a half years ago, he was plying his trade in the tiny island of Malta, and truth be told, he couldn't hit a barn door. He didn't score a single goal in seven appearances for Maltese Premier League outfit Sirens — his second club in the country after a stint with Valletta FC the year before — resulting in him being allowed to leave the club on a free transfer.

He would head to Nõmme Kalju in Estonia in the winter of 2023 and immediately remember where the back of the net was. 30 goals in 44 appearances earned him a move to Belgian outfit Union SG, and 24 goals in his debut season with the Brussels-based side secured a first Pro League trophy for the club in 90 years.

His efforts didn't go unnoticed. David was called up to the Canadian national team squad for the first time last year, and he has remained in the squad for the World Cup. However, he is very much a backup option behind namesake Jonthan David and Southampton hitman Cyle Larin. However, it has been the Union star that has made the biggest impact for the co-hosting Maple Leafs thus far.

David came off the bench in Canada's opener against Bosnia to provide a crucial assist for Larin's equaliser. He would then net in the 2-1 defeat against Switzerland, briefly dragging his side back into the contest, but unfortunately, the equaliser would never come.

With Canada through to the knockout stages for the first time, David will likely have a huge role to play off the bench. Should his side be trailing in the Round of 32 or the Round of 16, he will be the one tasked with coming off the bench and making a difference once again.