When Liverpool spent £116 million to bring Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, the excitement around Anfield could be felt all over the football world. The young German, two-time Bundesliga Player of the Season, was supposed to be the new creative heart of Arne Slot’s Liverpool. He was supposed to be the player to make fans forget that the era of Klopp had ended and a new one was beginning. But just a few months into life in England, things have not gone as planned. And even when he went back home to represent Germany, the story did not change much.
Wirtz, a footballer who once looked like he played with a smile and magic at his feet, now looks like a man searching for something that used to come naturally to him. Every pass, every dribble, every run — they no longer carry the same confidence. It is as if a shadow has followed him from Anfield to the German national team, refusing to let go.
Germany faced Luxembourg in a World Cup qualifier, a match that was expected to be routine. Ranked 96th in the world, Luxembourg were not supposed to trouble the Germans. And for a player like Wirtz, it was meant to be the kind of night where he could show why Liverpool spent so much money to get him. A night where he could finally breathe again, away from the heavy expectations of the Premier League. But even in a 4-0 victory, the German media saw something different — they saw a footballer still searching for himself.
The game started brightly for Germany. Kai Havertz and Leroy Sané looked sharp, Joshua Kimmich controlled the midfield, and the team flowed forward with ease. But for Wirtz, it was a mixed story. He made four key passes, created a big chance, and completed most of his passes. Yet there was something missing — that fearless spark that once made him the most exciting young player in Europe.
The German outlet Buli News gave him a 7/10 rating. They noticed how nervous he looked early in the game, how he seemed cautious whenever he had the ball. But they also noticed how he tried to fight his way back into rhythm after Germany’s second goal. They even said he should have gotten an assist, but his teammate Woltemade wasted the chance. His free kick against the post was another moment that showed flashes of his class — but football isn’t about almost anymore. For Wirtz, “almost” has become a painful word.
BILD, on the other hand, were not so kind. They gave him a grade of four — a sign that his performance, while not terrible, was far from what was expected. They said he looked like a player trying hard but finding no joy. Every time he attempted something, there was always a Luxembourg leg blocking the way. Even his beautiful free kick hit the post instead of the net. “We wish him redemption,” they wrote — a line that said it all. Because right now, Florian Wirtz is not just fighting defenders, he’s fighting the weight of expectation, the fear of failure, and the shadow of his own past brilliance.
Der Spiegel also analysed his performance closely. They said Wirtz tried to escape the pressure by drifting to the wings, searching for space and freedom. There were glimpses of the old Wirtz — energy, movement, and creativity. But again, the end product wasn’t there. He set up his teammates well — first Woltemade, then Kimmich — but both failed to convert. The magazine summed it up perfectly: “It seems he’s under a spell.”
A spell — that’s exactly what it feels like. Because this is not the Wirtz people know. The one who used to dominate Bundesliga defenders, make goals look easy, and play with joy that spread to the stands. At Leverkusen, he was untouchable. Every touch felt like gold. Every assist looked like poetry. But at Liverpool, everything has been slower, tougher, more frustrating.
When he first arrived at Anfield, the hype was massive. Arne Slot saw him as the perfect link between the midfield and attack, the man to unlock tight games, the magician to feed Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah. But things have not gone smoothly. English football has a way of testing new stars — the speed, the physicality, the pressure — and Wirtz has felt all of it.
There were moments, especially in his first few games, when fans could see glimpses of his magic — a clever flick here, a defence-splitting pass there. But the end product has been missing. He has not scored or assisted as much as expected, and in a Liverpool side where every point matters, patience can run thin.
Some Liverpool fans have started asking questions. Why isn’t Wirtz shining like he did in Germany? Why does he look so shy on the ball? Why is he not demanding the game the way someone of his talent should? These are the kinds of questions that follow him everywhere now — even when he wears the Germany shirt.
For Arne Slot, it’s a delicate situation. The Dutch manager knows what Wirtz can become. He knows that brilliance like this doesn’t disappear overnight. But he also knows Liverpool is not a club that waits forever. With Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, and even Curtis Jones performing better recently, Wirtz has found himself fighting for a place he thought was guaranteed when he joined.
In Germany’s 4-0 win, there were still positives. He looked more active than he has for Liverpool. He was involved, willing to take risks, and showed better movement off the ball. But confidence is not something you can fake, and the German media saw right through that. His body language told its own story — a man who knows he’s not playing at his level.
It’s strange how football works. A few months ago, he was being called “the next big thing,” “the heir to the German playmaking throne.” Now, every game feels like a test he must pass to prove he belongs at this level. The pressure of being Liverpool’s £116 million man weighs on him heavily.
The truth is, adapting to Liverpool is harder than most people think. The Premier League is unforgiving. The defenders are quicker, the spaces are smaller, and the expectations are sky-high. Even world-class players have needed time. But for Wirtz, there’s no hiding place. Every touch is analysed, every miss discussed, every average performance compared to his old Leverkusen self.
And yet, there’s still something about him — a quiet confidence, a belief that things will turn. When he hit that free kick against the post for Germany, he didn’t lower his head. He smiled briefly, as if telling himself, “It’s coming.” That’s the kind of spirit that made him a star in the first place.
Back in Liverpool, Arne Slot will be watching closely. The manager knows what he has — a raw diamond that just needs to breathe again. Perhaps the issue isn’t form alone. Maybe it’s freedom. In Germany, Wirtz played like a street footballer, always trusted to create. At Liverpool, the system is tighter, the structure is different, and he’s still learning how to find his place in it.
German journalists believe he will rise again. BILD called him “our super-magician,” even while criticising his performance. They still see the talent, the spark that could explode at any moment. They believe his redemption is coming — and so do many Liverpool fans, who still remember how long it took players like Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, and even Darwin Núñez to fully settle.
Sometimes, all it takes is one goal. One moment. One match that changes everything. Maybe it’ll happen at Anfield under the floodlights, or in a big Champions League night when the world is watching. When that happens, the story will flip again. Suddenly, everyone will talk about the return of the “old Wirtz.”
Football is a game of moments, and right now, Florian Wirtz is waiting for his. The pressure, the criticism, the doubts — they’re all part of the journey. What defines a player is not how he performs when everything is going well, but how he reacts when things fall apart.
For Germany, he showed enough to remind everyone he still has that quality. The passes, the vision, the creativity — they’re all there. He just needs that spark of confidence. And when it returns, Liverpool will see why Arne Slot fought so hard to bring him to Anfield.
The German media have made their judgment, but football doesn’t end with one verdict. The story of Florian Wirtz is still being written, one match at a time. He’s still only 22, still learning, still dreaming. And maybe, just maybe, this period of struggle is what will make his success at Liverpool even sweeter.
Because in football, every hero goes through the storm before he shines again. And right now, Florian Wirtz is walking through his — with quiet determination, waiting for the day he reminds everyone exactly who he is.
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