Whenever Germany compete in a World Cup, expectations are sky-high. With four World Cup titles and more finals appearances than any other national team, few countries have such a successful history in the tournament.

Yet once again, the campaign ended in another major disappointment. For the third World Cup in a row, Germany fell well short of the standard that has defined them for generations.

A 7–1 thrashing of debutants Curaçao – the smallest nation ever to compete in a World Cup – and a dramatic victory over Ivory Coast, secured in the dying minutes, were enough to take the Germans through to the knockout stages, even after an unexpected defeat to Ecuador.

Their campaign, however, came to an end in the round of 16. Paraguay held Germany to a draw and knocked out the 2014 champions on penalties, adding to the frustration of a team seeking to re-establish itself on the world stage.

Despite the underwhelming nature of their tournament, there were reasons to believe in better days ahead. A number of young talents showed signs of a promising future, but none caught the eye more than 23-year-old Florian Wirtz.

Nominated twice for the Kopa Trophy and twice for the ‘Ballon d’Or’, Wirtz arrived at the World Cup as one of Germany’s main hopes – and lived up to expectations.

Whilst some of his team-mates struggled to maintain consistency, the midfielder delivered reliable, top-class performances throughout the tournament, reinforcing why he is regarded as one of the greatest young talents in world football.

Florian Wirtz’s World Cup in figures:

  • Matches: 4

  • Minutes: 363

  • Goal contributions: 3

  • Shots on goal: 10

  • Key passes: 12

  • Duels won: 48

  • Accurate passes: 211

  • Sprints: 229

  • Dribbles: 102

Made for the big stage

Wirtz started in all four of Germany’s World Cup matches, playing on the left side of the attack, although he is also comfortable operating in a more central attacking midfield role.

This versatility is one of the hallmarks of his game. Whether it’s running into space, making clever runs behind the opposition defence or finding passes that few players can spot, Wirtz consistently demonstrated his ability to influence Germany’s attack from different areas of the pitch.

His statistics reflect this impact. He covered more ground than any other German player during the tournament (46.42 km), led the team in sprints, was the player with the most assists, and completed more successful passes than any of his teammates, with the exception of the defenders.

His three assists in just four matches also equalled the number of assists he provided in 33 Premier League matches for Liverpool during the 2025–26 season, underlining his ability to step up in the big moments when wearing the national team shirt.

This, however, should not be seen as a criticism of his performance for his club. In his first Premier League season, Wirtz created 57 goal-scoring chances from open play – the second-highest tally by a Liverpool player in their debut season for the club, behind only the 62 chances created by Dirk Kuyt in 2006–07.

His contribution at the World Cup also extended beyond his actions with the ball. Wirtz stood out for his work off the ball, constantly pressing opponents and helping Germany win the ball back. No other German player pressed more during the tournament, with Wirtz finishing the competition as the team’s leader in this category, with 123 pressing actions.

In summary

Germany’s campaign at the 2026 World Cup ended disappointingly, but Florian Wirtz was one of the team’s major bright spots. Whether creating chances in attack or working tirelessly to regain possession, he led by example and was one of the few German players to maintain a high level of performance throughout the tournament.

At 23, Wirtz is already showing the hallmarks of a world-class playmaker. His versatility, intelligence and work rate off the ball give Germany reason to look to the future with optimism – whilst Liverpool fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about what he may yet achieve in the years to come.