Florian Wirtz of Liverpool looks on during the warm up prior to the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at City Ground on February 22, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)placeholder image
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool looks on during the warm up prior to the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at City Ground on February 22, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Florian Wirtz was part of Germany’s 2-1 friendly victory over Ghana.
Florian Wirtz impressed once again for Germany as they recorded successive victories during the international break.
The Liverpool attacking midfielder delivered an imperious performance with two goals and two assists in last week’s 4-3 win over Switzerland. And as Germany continued their preparations for the World Cup with a 2-1 triumph against Ghana, Wirtz underlined why he will head into the tournament as his country’s talisman.
The £100 million signing was again at the heart of Julian Nagelsmann’s side’s triumph. In the sixth minute, Wirtz flashed a free-kick against the post. He then had the ball in the back of the net on 32 minutes but it was ruled out as Nick Woltemade was adjudged to be offside.
A Kai Havertz penalty and a late Deniz Undav strike earned DFB success, with Wirtz being substituted in the 61st minute.
The German media were unimpressed by several displays against Ghana - but Wirtz was not one of them. Player ratings in the country are marked from five (being the lowest) to one. And Wirtz generally was given a score of two by the outlets that watched the MHPArena success.
They included reputable newspaper BILD, which said: “The dream goal show from Basel almost continued immediately: After six minutes, he curled a free kick against the outside of the post! The attack was somewhat sluggish in the first half; when anything happened, it went through him. His dribbling was excellent, ultimately leading to the penalty.
Meanwhile, Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger commented: “After his stellar performance in Basel, he was agile and technically skilled once again. He initiated the first good chance and scored what appeared to be the opening goal, but it was ruled marginally offside.”
Well-known investigative publication Spiegel did not give a player rating but were impressed. It said: “After hitting the left post with an early free kick, Ghana's coach Otto Addo crossed himself on the sidelines: Thank God Wirtz didn't make that mistake. Two goals and two assists against Switzerland have underlined his status as an absolute key player for the DFB. He's even giving the commands now. His dribble before the penalty was a highlight of the evening.”
Eurosport were left in awe of Wirtz’s performance as it said: “He hit the outside of the post with a free kick and conjured up numerous dazzling displays of skill with his wonder-hitting top hat. A sight to behold, even without a goal or assist.”
Meanwhile, the Rheinische Post concluded: “He hit the outside of the post with a free kick and conjured up numerous dazzling displays of skill from his wonder-hitting top hat. A feast for the eyes, even without a goal or assist.”
Wirtz - and Liverpool - will hope he can continue his international form for the rest of the season. The Reds return to action when they travel to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals at the Etihad Stadium.
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