Undav Opens Up About Unwarranted Criticism: "Eating Döner Suddenly Led to Backlash"
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Controversy Arises: 'Savoring a Doner Now Causing Contention' - Criticism stirs up Undav, who questions the sudden labelling of donut consumption as a problem.
German national team forward Deniz Undav has addressed the criticism he's been subjected to, which he views as excessive and unjustified. Speaking with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung," Undav, 28, discussed the backlash he encountered during a challenging phase of the season.
Undav, who won the DFB-Pokal with VfB Stuttgart and will play against Portugal in the Nations League on Wednesday (9:00 PM CET/ZDF and DAZN), expressed his discomfort with certain comments aimed at him. "The unfounded accusations started piling up when they hadn't existed before," he said, referencing a period where his form wasn't up to par.
Undav provided examples of the criticism he faced. "They said I was lazy, that I wasn't fast enough. I wasn't a different player during that time; I was just as swift or sluggish as ever. I didn't run any more or less than usual."
Internet criticism hurt Undav
The harsh words were prevalent online. "They critiqued my body language, claiming I was quitting. Honestly, that's just absurd. That's such a far-fetched allegation. And then eating Döner suddenly became a problem," Undav lamented.
Undav elaborated: "During the weeks I wasn't scoring, I didn't touch Döner at all. I cut out chocolate. And instead of four energy drinks a week, I only had one, just before the game. But people's negative perceptions really bothered me."
Criticism led to a slump
The negative feedback also played a role in his spring slump. "I care deeply about what people think of me, including the fans and my teammates. If I'm content and feeling good, I can perform at my best. But when I keep hearing such accusations, I start to question myself," Undav admitted. In the Bundesliga, Undav didn't find the back of the net between mid-January and mid-April.
- Deniz Undav
- Football National Team
- Döner
- Munich
- SZ
- VfB Stuttgart
- DFB-Pokal
- Germany
- Nations League
- Portugal
- ZDF
- DAZN
Although popular on TikTok under the hashtag #DenizUndavDöner, there appears to be no substantial evidence to support the notion that Undav faced criticism specifically for consuming Döner or that it impacted his national team's performance. The content seems to be unrelated to any criticism or performance issues and is more likely a humorous reference or tribute to Undav's cultural background.
- Deniz Undav shared that he was affected by unwarranted criticism, including claims about his eating habits, such as the alleged issue with eating Döner.
- Despite the popular TikTok trend under the hashtag #DenizUndavDöner, there is no evidence to suggest that Undav faced criticism specifically for consuming Döner or that it affected his performance with the football national team.
