Florian Wirtz silences Liverpool critics with statement performance as Germany book World Cup ticket | OneFootball

Forward’s Premier League form has been criticised but he remains key to national side

Florian Wirtz put in a statement performance as Germany routed Slovakia to confirm their place at the 2026 World Cup.

Germany went on to win 6-0, with RB Leipzig teenager Assane Ouedraogo capping the evening with a debut goal, but it was Wirtz who stole the show.

Lining up on the left flank of a front four, he provided a brace of assists for Leroy Sane. The first was the product of a pinpoint through ball from deep in his own half, and the second from a similarly clinical cross.

Unplayable: Florian Wirtz

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He closed out the match with 94 per cent pass accuracy and six chances created.

Wirtz’s performance will leave Arne Slot with considerable food for thought. The German, who joined Liverpool as a British-record signing from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, has struggled to settle in the Premier League and is yet to score in 15 appearances.

He impressed playing on the left wing against Real Madrid in the Champions League before the international break, though, and could provide Cody Gakpo further position for that spot.

Wirtz has come in for plenty of criticism since moving to Merseyside, but, speaking ahead of facing Slovakia, Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann leapt to his defence, suggesting he had been let down by his team-mates.

"Liverpool could also help him out by scoring some of the chances he creates,” he said. “They somehow don't like to shoot the ball in.

"The whole club isn't as stable this year as it was last year. It's much harder to slip into the team now.

"If you look at the game against [Manchester] City, they were actually the worse team over the 90 minutes.

"So it's also difficult for Flo to make a big impact. Ultimately, the overall situation is such that he just needs a little more time, which is normal; you see that with other players who move to the Premier League too."