Liverpool’s new record signing, Florian Wirtz, finds himself in the spotlight after a costly error in a stunning national team upset.
The German national team suffered a humiliating and unprecedented defeat last night, losing a World Cup qualifier away from home for the first time in their history. A shock 2-0 loss to Slovakia, sealed by goals from David Hancko and Lukas Haraslin, has sparked a furious reaction from coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Despite carrying an injury concern into the match, Liverpool’s new £116m man, Florian Wirtz, played the full 90 minutes. However, a turnover in midfield from the 21-year-old directly led to Slovakia’s decisive second goal, placing him squarely under the microscope of his furious manager.
Nagelsmann launched a stunning critique of his team’s attitude after the final whistle, telling Bild: “I don’t want to hear the word ‘quality’ anymore; it’s about the emotions. We selected the best players from Germany, but perhaps we should rely on less quality, on players who give their all.”
He demanded a drastic change in mentality, adding, “Everyone has to understand that we have to approach a game like this like a Champions League semi-final… If we can’t get this emotionality right, then we can close the book. Quality doesn’t matter.”
Despite the costly error, statistical metrics painted a confusing picture; Wirtz recorded a SofaScore rating of 7.2, the second-highest in the German side. For Liverpool, he has already shown flashes of the brilliance that prompted the club to make him their record signing, fitting seamlessly into Arne Slot’s system.
The hope at Anfield is that Wirtz can quickly shake off this international disappointment. All eyes will be on him to bounce back when Germany faces Conor Bradley’s Northern Ireland this weekend before returning to Merseyside to focus on defending Liverpool’s Premier League crown.
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