During Liverpool‘s historically poor run of results last autumn, Florian Wirtz’s form become topic for plenty debate. Arne Slot starting line-up, and the spotlight, dey on am.
“Don’t think he isn’t suffering at the moment with this,” the former England international Gary Lineker yarn for ‘The Rest is Football’ podcast. However, Lineker no get any doubt say the £100 million signing go eventually prove im worth for Liverpool.
“We have see am play for Champions League, and we know wetin he fit do,” Lineker point out. “I no dey base my evidence for Bundesliga; I dey base am for Europe, and he start so young. He get to come good, and I believe he go do am. He really good for football.”
Not everyone, though, dey convinced. Germany suppose dey build their World Cup team around Florian Wirtz talents if dem want claim historic fifth World Cup for USA for July 19 – and Liverpool suppose dey copy the blueprint. That na according to former Reds midfielder and hero Vladimir Smicer, who don assess the German playmaker situation before the showpiece international tournament for North America.
Bayer Leverkusen last summer hold off strong interest from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. Im arrival greet with huge excitement and expectation, but the £116m man no make the impact anticipated as side struggle for consistent form all season. Wirtz play plenty different positions under the Dutch coach, who don since comot and replace by former Bournemouth boss, but only return five goals for 33 appearances for the Reds.
Nevertheless, im stock remain high and he go be key player for Germany for World Cup. And ex-Czech Republic star Smicer, wey famously win Champions League with Liverpool for im final match for the club for 2005, believe say building team around talent like Wirtz be key to success for both club and country.
Speaking exclusively, Smicer say: “I think the price tag and the transfer money from Leverkusen to Liverpool big, and the pressure dey for Wirtz with statistics about how much im goals and assists cost. That pressure from media and fans dey behind am now. He dey prepare for World Cup with im team-mates for national team. But player like am go dey under pressure all the time. You get to perform for Liverpool, and now for Germany. Dem go expect plenty from am. Two years ago for European Championship, expectations no high, but this time he dey two years older and get more experience.
“Dem need build the German team around am. For Leverkusen, the team build for am and he be free player with wingers for side and striker. For Liverpool, we dey try find im best position all season. He dey play right, left, as striker, and behind striker.”
Wirtz win Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen without losing match all season and weigh in with 11 goals for 31 appearances from attacking central midfield role. He crown German Footballer of Year for 2025 and pick up multiple other individual awards, yet he still dey justify im price tag for English soil.
“If you buy player for 130 million euros, you need put am for im favourite position and build team around am,” Smicer say. “If you buy Wirtz and play am as left-winger, you throw that money away. You need play am for im best position and then change other players. If you spend that kind of money on or Florian Wirtz, you must play dem for dem best position. That the hard thing. If you play Wirtz as winger, he go never give you as much. He go still perform, but he no go be for im best. So I hope for am and for Germany say dem play am for im best position so he fit perform.
“I think he dey enjoy playing for Liverpool, but of course when he be left-winger, he just dey try do the job. You no feel the same confidence or feeling when dey play for different position. I just hope Andoni Iraola go find im position. I think im best position be behind striker. Give am the freedom and e go work. If not, e go tough.”
