‘Drew boos’: National media react to 22-year-old Liverpool player’s performance last night

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Empire of the Kop

·14. Oktober 2025

‘Drew boos’: National media react to 22-year-old Liverpool player’s performance last night

Florian Wirtz was largely panned by German media after the national team’s clash with Northern Ireland.

The Liverpool midfielder’s critical reception continues to be less than favourable following his record-breaking move to Anfield in the summer.

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German media react to Florian Wirtz’s performance vs Northern Ireland

(Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

One has to sympathise with the 22-year-old, for whom little in the way of respite is on offer domestically or internationally.

The nationalelf ultimately emerged victorious in a tightly-contested World Cup qualifier.

However, Wirtz attracted flak across the spectrum of German outlets for his perceived failure to be decisive with possession.

Welt: “His technically fine moves weren’t capitalised on by his teammates. He now has to work hard for his footballing fortunes at Liverpool.”
Bild: “The new Liverpool player, who is under fire in the UK, seemed to be putting in a lot of effort, as he did against Luxembourg, but he continues to be a concern in the German national team kit and isn’t a decisive factor. He was booed by the opposing fans after a slight fall. He didn’t have a compelling moment in the first half. He sent Adeyemi through, but he missed.”
Sport.de: “He was intensely harassed by his opponents and, as a Premier League player, drew boos from the crowd. In a disjointed match, he was effectively robbed of his strengths for long stretches. While he occasionally resolved situations in tight spaces well, he almost never posed a threat.”

* Florian Wirtz’s stats during Northern Ireland v Germany (Fotmob)

Focus.de: “First attempted a goal in the eighth minute, but missed by a wide margin. After that, he tried hard, but repeatedly held onto the ball for too long. After the break, he set up Adeyemi’s great chance (47′). He had a notable spell at the start of the second half, but it faded as the hosts’ pressure increased. He had the most possession in the attack and was almost always up against two Northern Irish players. Grade: 3.5.”
SZ: “Someone needs to hand him a ladder so he can get himself out of this slump. Anyone who knows Bayer Leverkusen’s Wirtz will wonder what they actually did with this footballer in Liverpool. Back in the United Kingdom, he seems to have lost confidence again. Right at the beginning of the game, he scooped a ball over the bar that Leverkusen’s Wirtz would never have fired over. Then he was unlucky because Karim Adeyemi didn’t follow up his pass with a goal, which at least would have had an assist on his stats. He took two light trips, once failing to win a penalty and once a free kick. This incurred the displeasure of the Northern Irish crowd. Things aren’t going well for him at the moment.”

Thank goodness the footballer has his allies in Germany in Jurgen Klopp and national team boss Julian Nagelsmann…

Familiar theme developing for Wirtz ahead of Liverpool return

To be completely fair to Florian Wirtz, he’s not exactly had the smoothest of starts to the 2025/26 season.

The weight of the £100m (up front) fee that took him away from Bayer Leverkusen is played up at almost every opportunity.

But the reality of the situation, in our view, is that Wirtz is simply a player who needs time. As Welt’s analysis indicates, his Liverpool teammates also need to be afforded the same courtesy in order to get on the wavelength of a footballer who’s often thinking three moves ahead.

(Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

The fact he’s still managing to create chances – including a bona fide scoring opportunity for Karim Adeyemi against Northern Ireland – is still more than encouraging.

Things will click, and, in the meantime, Florian Wirtz still remains a threat that opposing sides aren’t quite brave enough to take their eye off just yet.

You can watch Slot’s post-Chelsea press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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