Under pressure Liverpool star Florian Wirtz was given another chance to shine on the international stage, as he featured for Germany in a stalemate against Greece
Florian Wirtz of Germany looks on during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Greece and Germany
Florian Wirtz was named Germany captain for the match with Greece(Image: (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images))
Jurgen Klopp showed yet another huge sign of faith in Florian Wirtz, as he named the Liverpool playmaker as the captain for Germany in the nation's encounter with Greece in the UEFA Nations League.
It was the second start in a row for the 23-year-old under the former Reds boss, having shown signs of his quality with a goal in a 2-0 win against Serbia in the previous match. The decision to hand the captaincy to Wirtz was against the backdrop of growing criticism surrounding the star, as questions continue to be raised about his ability to decide matches on his own.
While he showed that ability in the victory over Serbia, the match against Greece offered a different challenge, with the opposition having already beaten Klopp and his Germany team during the international break.
There were moments of magic in the match from Wirtz, which included a mazey dribble beyond several defenders, but he was simply unable to find the back of the net, much like the rest of his team.
There were some promising signs, but it ultimately ended up as just a draw for Klopp, ending a rocky first international break with one win, two draws, and one defeat to his name.
The German media gave some clear thoughts on the frustrating result, but were full of praise for Wirtz, despite his inability to unlock the game.
Jurgen Klopp is sticking by Wirtz
Jurgen Klopp is sticking by Wirtz(Image: Getty)
Focus gave the midfielder a rating of three out of five, and said: "First good move after seven minutes with a dribble and shot. Header chance after 19 minutes. Agile, clever, also effective defensively. Less noticeable after the break.
"Later with more touches, but the game was disjointed. Shot after 83 minutes. Not the same high performance as against Serbia, but not bad either."
Sport1 also gave a rating of three, and said: "This time he captained the team from the start and truly led by example. He racked up numerous touches in the first half and was involved in a corresponding number of attacks.
"However, his performance was inconsistent. His spectacular header was unlucky, as Burkardt was in the way (20th minute). He had to shoulder a lot of responsibility this evening, but the truly magical Wirtz performance never quite materialized."
There was similar praise from BILD, which added: "Wirtz was the linchpin of the German game. The Liverpool star organized, orchestrated, and drove the attack. The only thing missing from the German game was a goal, or rather, a legitimate goal."
It certainly suggests that the outline of a positive display is there for Wirtz, though he wasn't quite able to make the difference in terms of output on the night.
With his international break now over, the 23-year-old will now return to Liverpool with some kind of momentum, which he will want to turn into positive displays for the Reds moving forward.