Florian Wirtz was largely panned by German media after Germany’s 1-0 win over Northern Ireland.
The Liverpool midfielder’s critical reception continues to be less than favourable following his record-breaking £116m (total package) move to Anfield in the summer.
The former Bayer Leverkusen man played 89 minutes in Belfast as Julian Nagelsmann’s held on to top spot in their World Cup qualifying group.
German media react to Florian Wirtz’s performance vs Northern Ireland
One has to sympathise with the 22-year-old, for whom little in the way of respite is on offer domestically or internationally.
The nationalelf ultimately emerged victorious in a tightly-contested World Cup qualifier. Newcastle United striker Nick Woltemade scored the only goal of the night around the half-hour mark.
- READ MORE: Nico Schlotterbeck must be Liverpool’s top transfer target after what he did for Germany last night
@farrellkeeling96 🚨 PART 1: What is going on with Florian Wirtz at Liverpool and Germany? #lfc #fyp #florianwirtz #wirtz #liverpool ♬ original sound – Farrell Keeling
@farrellkeeling96 🚨 PART 2: We need to talk about Florian Wirtz… Is the flak the Liverpool midfielder is taking from German and English media fair or unwarranted? #fyp #wirtz #florianwirtz #lfc #liverpool ♬ original sound – Farrell Keeling
However, Wirtz attracted flak across the spectrum of German outlets for his perceived failure to be decisive with possession.
- Welt: “His technically fine moves weren’t capitalised on by his teammates. He now has to work hard for his footballing fortunes at Liverpool.”
- Bild: “The new Liverpool player, who is under fire in the UK, seemed to be putting in a lot of effort, as he did against Luxembourg, but he continues to be a concern in the German national team kit and isn’t a decisive factor. He was booed by the opposing fans after a slight fall. He didn’t have a compelling moment in the first half. He sent Adeyemi through, but he missed.”
- Sport.de: “He was intensely harassed by his opponents and, as a Premier League player, drew boos from the crowd. In a disjointed match, he was effectively robbed of his strengths for long stretches. While he occasionally resolved situations in tight spaces well, he almost never posed a threat.”
| 89 minutes played |
| 2 chances created |
| 36/39 passes completed (92%) |
| 0.1 expected goals (xG) |
| 0.26 expected assists (xA) |
| 6 passes into final third |
| 5/12 ground duels won (42%) |
* Florian Wirtz’s stats during Northern Ireland v Germany (Fotmob)
- Focus.de: “First attempted a goal in the eighth minute, but missed by a wide margin. After that, he tried hard, but repeatedly held onto the ball for too long. After the break, he set up Adeyemi’s great chance (47′). He had a notable spell at the start of the second half, but it faded as the hosts’ pressure increased. He had the most possession in the attack and was almost always up against two Northern Irish players. Grade: 3.5.”
- SZ: “Someone needs to hand him a ladder so he can get himself out of this slump. Anyone who knows Bayer Leverkusen’s Wirtz will wonder what they actually did with this footballer in Liverpool. Back in the United Kingdom, he seems to have lost confidence again. Right at the beginning of the game, he scooped a ball over the bar that Leverkusen’s Wirtz would never have fired over. Then he was unlucky because Karim Adeyemi didn’t follow up his pass with a goal, which at least would have had an assist on his stats. He took two light trips, once failing to win a penalty and once a free kick. This incurred the displeasure of the Northern Irish crowd. Things aren’t going well for him at the moment.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMi_ilJTWk8&t=32s
Thank goodness the footballer has his allies in Germany in Jurgen Klopp and national team boss Julian Nagelsmann…
Why was Wirtz booed by Northern Ireland fans?
Florian Wirtz attracted the ire of the Northern Irish crowd after throwing himself to the turf, inside the box, in the second half.
However, the ex-Bundesliga star was not believed to have been fouled at the time, which only inspired a series of further jeers whenever the German international touched the ball.
Familiar theme developing for Wirtz ahead of Liverpool return
To be completely fair to Florian Wirtz, he’s not exactly had the smoothest of starts to the 2025/26 season.
The weight of the £100m (up front) fee that took him away from Bayer Leverkusen is played up at almost every opportunity.
But the reality of the situation, in our view, is that Wirtz is simply a player who needs time. As Welt’s analysis indicates, his Liverpool teammates also need to be afforded the same courtesy in order to get on the wavelength of a footballer who’s often thinking three moves ahead.
The fact he’s still managing to create chances – including a bona fide scoring opportunity for Karim Adeyemi against Northern Ireland – is still more than encouraging.
Things will click, and, in the meantime, Florian Wirtz still remains a threat that opposing sides aren’t quite brave enough to take their eye off just yet.
You can watch Slot’s post-Chelsea press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:
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