Former Premier League striker Deniz Undav has revealed he "almost died twice" after suffering severe allergic reactions that left him unable to breathe. The 30-year-old Stuttgart forward opened up about the terrifying experiences during a recent podcast appearance.
Undav's seafood allergy revelation
Asked whether he enjoyed sushi, Undav admitted: "Yes, but only with salmon or vegetarian. Because I can’t eat shrimp...I’ve had an allergic reaction twice; I almost died both times." He added that he is allergic to most seafood, including lobster and mussels.
Describing the reaction, he said: "Everything swells up, and I can’t breathe. I’d never even heard of that before."
Career and personal life
Undav, who played for Brighton and Hove Albion in England, also spoke about his love of quiet meals with his wife, Tanja. "When we play internationally, we usually train in the afternoon. Then, between ten and twelve o’clock, I go to Stuttgart’s city centre with my wife. It’s quiet and you can have some peace and quiet. We eat together, for example, avocado toast with salmon."
Undav moved to Brighton in 2022 from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise but struggled in front of goal on the south coast and was loaned out to Stuttgart. He has since scored 57 goals in 117 appearances for Stuttgart, while also providing 30 assists.
International duty
As part of the German squad in North America, he found the net against Curacao and Ivory Coast. However, Germany were eliminated in the round of 32 against Paraguay.
