Florian Wirtz kicked off his World Cup preparations in spectacular fashion, spearheading a dominant German side as they dismantled Finland 4-0 in a warm-up friendly before the squad boards their flight to North America.
The glittering performance did more than just reassure German fans of their tournament prospects; it ignited a frenzy across Merseyside.
With Liverpool the playmaker, the display offered a tantalising blueprint of what the German virtuoso could bring to Anfield next season especially with speculation swirling that Bournemouth’s high-pressing mastermind Andoni Iraola is the frontrunner to take the Liverpool helm.
Germany looked sharp, cohesive, and physically imposing from the first whistle, refusing to let Finland breathe. The hosts established control early, suffocating the Finnish midfield with an aggressive, coordinated press.
The deadlock was broken in the 18th minute courtesy of a brilliant team move finished by Niclas Füllkrug. A sharp, progressive pass from Jamal Musiala sliced through the Finnish low block, allowing Füllkrug to turn his defender and fire a powerful, low strike into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.
In the 34th minute, the moment arrived that had Liverpool fans glued to their screens. High, relentless pressing from forward Denis Undav forced a catastrophic turnover deep in the Finnish penalty area.
Undav showed immense composure to win the ball and square it across the six-yard box, setting up Florian Wirtz for a textbook, simple tap-in. The goal perfectly illustrated Wirtz’s elite spatial awareness and his lethal positioning when granted the freedom to operate as part of a high-pressure attacking line.
Germany continued their onslaught in the second half, adding a third goal in the 57th minute. Jamal Musiala turned from provider to scorer, dancing past two defenders on the edge of the box before unleashing a curling effort into the top right corner.
Substitute Leroy Sané then put the icing on the cake in the 76th minute, capitalising on a tiring Finnish defense to smash home a loose ball after an initially saved shot from Kai Havertz, wrapping up the commanding 4-0 victory.
While German fans celebrated a flawless performance, the tactical implications of the match resonated deeply with the Anfield faithful. The timing of Wirtz’s masterclass is particularly intriguing given the current managerial flux at Liverpool.
In the final, tense weeks of Arne Slot’s tenure at Liverpool, the club found itself navigating turbulent waters. A cryptic social media post from talisman Mohamed Salah appeared to subtly criticise the rigid, possession-heavy style of play under Slot, sparking intense speculation about dressing room unrest.
Breaking his silence during that period, Wirtz spoke to The Athletic to provide some clarity on the inner workings of the club. He insisted at the time that things remained incredibly positive behind the scenes, noting that everyone was professional and the focus was entirely on winning football matches, regardless of the noise outside.
Despite Wirtz’s diplomatic reassurance, the contrast between Slot’s pragmatism and the explosive, high-intensity system displayed against Finland was stark.
“Slot was the problem”
For Wirtz, his quality in a Germany shirt has never been in question as he has been able to produce standout performances on a regular basis. In qualifying for the World Cup, he scored once and provided two assists in six games.
The attacking midfielder scored a total of five goals and provided three assists in the Premier League under Slot, with Liverpool having paid more than £100 million for him last summer.
Wirtz took to Instagram after the game and said, “Good final test in Germany… See you in America.”
“Wirtz under Iraola will be spectacular”
Iraola has had a tendency to get some big performances from his wingers and attacking midfielders at Bournemouth. When he first arrived, Antoine Semenyo was the unproven youngster who had just come from Bristol City. By Iraola’s final year at Bournemouth, he was being sold in January for upwards of £60 million.
Marcus Tavernier, Justin Kluivert, Dango Ouattara and even new signing Rayan have all found impressive form across Iraola’s time in the Premier League.
Florian Wirtz was given free rein when he played at Leverkusen, and is given relative freedom when playing for Germany to create. A manager who allows this in the Premier League could get the best out of the midfielder.
This fan shares Wirtz’s more comfortable position of starting from the left for Germany. An important part of Iraola’s system is that the three players behind the striker play as three number 10s, mostly, rather than a set of two wingers with a central number 10.
The response to Liverpool’s official post
Liverpool shared a post of Wirtz’s success on X, and the responses from Liverpool fans were filled with overwhelming positivity.
Some responses tended to focus on the impact of Slot on Wirtz’s performances.
While others tended to be hopeful of what was to come in the future from the German.
ReadLiveroolFC Verdict
If Liverpool do finalize a move for Andoni Iraola, the Basque manager will look to implement the same frantic, suffocating press that defined his success at Bournemouth.
As evidenced by his goal via Denis Undav’s press, Wirtz is not just comfortable in such a system he thrives in it. His ability to trigger triggers, suffocate passing lanes, and transition instantly into a goal threat makes him the quintessential modern pressing identity Liverpool fans are desperate to see restored.
As Die Mannschaft packs their bags for the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Liverpool decision-makers will undoubtedly be watching closely.
