German team coach Jürgen Klopp battles problem player Florian Wirtz
DFB team Jürgen Klopp is grappling with problem case Florian Wirtz: The national player who has been playing for Liverpool since summer 2025 is under heavy criticism in England, while the German national coach publicly reaffirms his confidence and works on a return to form, hoping that he will soon show the expected performance again.
English criticism of Wirtz
Last weekend Wirtz delivered a mixed performance against Bournemouth, was substituted after 71 minutes and left the English observers with little enthusiasm. Former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher, known as a Liverpool legend, described the match as one of the worst performances he has ever seen from him in a Liverpool shirt, and added that “nothing is happening”. His criticism was not only aimed at the current form, but also questioned the player’s fundamental quality, while emphasizing that he does not believe Wirtz has been out of form since his move to Liverpool.
Klopp's confidence and plan
Jürgen Klopp emphasizes that he wants to help Wirtz feel comfortable in the team and steer the attention generated by the multi‑million transfer onto a normal track. He affectionately refers to the 23‑year‑old attacking player as “Flo” and praises his high work‑rate as well as his willingness to function in the team game, with the coaching staff especially highlighting his readiness to contribute. Klopp stated that the first conversation with the German was very good and pleasant, and that he assumes that if the team play clicks, Wirtz can make each individual shine. With this, the national coach signals that despite the English criticism of the performance, he believes in the player’s potential.
Wirtz moved in the summer of 2025 from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool for €125 million. Since then he has scored seven goals and provided eleven assists in 55 competitive matches – figures that are not disastrous, but also do not justify the price Liverpool paid for him.
Together with Musiala, who is also considered one of the great hopefuls, Wirtz forms the core of Germany’s attacking options, waiting to shine in the upcoming international matches.
Outlook on Nations League
Wirtz, the international player, is in the second list of the 44‑man squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Serbia and Greece. Klopp hopes that the reduced attention will allow the German to simply be himself and shine on the international stage, and the fans expect a strong performance. Together with Musiala, another hopeful of German football, Wirtz is to demonstrate that despite the criticism in England he can regain his world‑class quality. All parties expect that the two matches will provide the opportunity to end the current debate and confirm the national player’s performance.