Image Credits: Imago Images
Germany’s friendly win over Ghana in Stuttgart was anything but a stroll, and it gave Florian Wirtz another big platform in a week where everything he does seems to make headlines.
Kai Havertz opened the scoring from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time after Germany had dominated the early exchanges, with Wirtz heavily involved in the build-up and seeing one neat finish chalked off for a marginal offside earlier in the half.
Ghana hit back after the break through Abdul Fatawu on 70 minutes, punishing the hosts for not killing the game, before Deniz Undav came off the bench to nick an 88th‑minute winner and extend Julian Nagelsmann’s side’s unbeaten run. It was a night that demanded patience and composure from Germany’s creators in tight spaces, and Wirtz again looked like the man most capable of finding the gaps between the lines.
Given that context, it is no surprise that the German press has been so glowing in their assessments of the 22‑year‑old over this international break.
In Germany, they use a rating system where “1” is the worst and “5” is the best.
Abendzeitung-Muenchen gave the Liverpool No.7 a 3/5 and wrote:
“After the Basel gala with two dream goals and two assists. Against Ghana, he was also challenged defensively, made many meters backwards. Played decisively and hard after Woltemade’s lay-off – but was offside.”
Meanwhile, Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger gave him a 2/5 and wrote:
“After his gala performance in Basel, agile and technically adept again. Initiated the first good chance, scored to make it 1-0, which was wafer-thin offside.”
Finally, the Speigel were very complimentary of the 22-year-old, simply commenting:
“After hitting the left post with an early free kick, Ghana’s coach Otto Addo crossed himself on the sidelines: Thank God Wirtz didn’t make that mistake. Two goals and two assists against Switzerland have underlined his status as an absolute key player for the DFB. He’s even giving the commands now. His dribble before the penalty was a highlight of the evening.”
For Liverpool, the hope will be that Wirtz can carry that rhythm and confidence straight back into club football ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup quarter‑final against Manchester City at the Etihad.
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