How German media reacted to ‘stunning’ Florian Wirtz moment vs Northern Ireland
Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz starred for Germany on Sunday, as Julian Nagelsmann’s side beat Northern Ireland 3-1.
Wirtz signed for Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in June, joining in a record-breaking deal that could ultimately be worth £116million.
But the midfielder is yet to show the full extent of his ability in the Premier League, despite the Reds’ strong start to the season.
Wirtz has been tipped to star for Liverpool, however, and can be expected to be a force for Arne Slot’s side once his adaptation is complete.
Sunday’s performance will be encouraging for all parties, after Wirtz had struggled for Germany against Slovakia last week.
Florian Wirtz scores magical free-kick vs Northern Ireland
Dominik Szoboszlai scored a stunning free-kick against Arsenal, and it was Wirtz’s time to get in on the act for Germany on Sunday.
The midfielder had enjoyed a strong performance already in the game, creating several chances for his teammates and proving a constant thorn in the side of Northern Ireland’s left-sided defenders.
But with the home side already 2-1 up, the Liverpool man put the seal on the victory with a moment of pure magic.
Around 25 yards from goal, Wirtz hit his free-kick perfectly, the ball floating over the wall and beyond the reach of the diving Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
The strike did not find the corner, but it did not have to, carrying far too much pace to give the goalkeeper a chance to get a hand to it.
German media react to Florian Wirtz performance
It was a strong performance on every account by Wirtz, with the midfielder receiving high praise for his impact.
The 22-year-old’s showing was not quite as well received by some sections of the German media, however.
| Florian Wirtz | Vs Northern Ireland |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Chances created | 3 |
| Successful dribbles | 2 |
| Was fouled | 4 |
German tabloid BILD shared their ratings for every player on Sunday, and neglected to give Wirtz more than a three.
According to their system of ratings, a three equates to a satisfactory performance, with six of the other starters receiving the same score.
The Liverpool man can count himself unlucky to receive such an average rating, despite leading the match in several different metrics and undoubtedly marking its defining moment.
Bulinews, meanwhile, gave Wirtz a 7/10 and added: “Tried his luck in every position in attack, sometimes through the middle but mainly on the left-hand side.
“Built a great duo with [David] Raum. Scored a stunning free-kick in the 72nd minute to pretty much close the game.”
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