Florian Wirtz Draws Harsh Reactions from Fans After Germany’s Shock Defeat to Slovakia in World Cup Qualifier
Following Germany’s unexpected 2-0 loss to Slovakia in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup European qualifiers, fans have taken to social media to voice strong opinions about Florian Wirtz.
Thursday night saw several major European nations competing in qualifiers, with Belgium, Wales, and Northern Ireland all securing victories. England is set to kick off their campaign against Andorra on Saturday. However, the most surprising result came from Germany, hosts of Euro 2024, who fell to Slovakia despite fielding a full-strength squad.
In the aftermath, fans singled out Wirtz for criticism. The match marked his first international appearance since his British-record transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool in June. Since his high-profile move, Wirtz has yet to deliver standout performances in Liverpool’s opening Premier League matches, leading rival supporters to question whether he was worth the £116 million price tag.
Some fans didn’t hold back in their assessments online. One wrote on X: “Is anyone watching Wirtz for Germany? He’s not worth even half what Liverpool paid.” Another commented: “Wirtz is too lightweight for the Premier League. He’s destined to be bullied by physical opponents—he’ll be the league’s most expensive flop.”
Another user added: “Wirtz doesn’t justify a £150m valuation. His decision-making and execution lack consistency. He looks good on the ball but isn’t a core impact player—more of a flashy contributor like Grealish at City.”
Wirtz’s most notable moment in the match was a first-half mistake that led directly to Slovakia’s opening goal. However, he also created four chances for his teammates—more than any other player on the field.
Wirtz wasn’t the only German player to come under fire. Newcastle’s new signing Nick Woltemade also received criticism after an underwhelming display, raising doubts ahead of his anticipated Premier League debut.
Leave a Reply