Germany Manager Suggests Liverpool’s Wirtz Lacks Grit After Defeat to Slovakia

Florian Wirtz Under Scrutiny After Germany’s Shocking Loss to Slovakia

Liverpool’s record signing, Florian Wirtz, made headlines following Germany’s surprising 2-0 defeat to Slovakia in their World Cup qualifier.

Nagelsmann Questions Germany’s Mentality After Historic Loss

It was a historic low for Germany, marking their first-ever away defeat in World Cup qualifying. Slovakia secured the upset with goals from David Hancko and Lukas Strelec.

Wirtz, despite earlier injury concerns, played the full 90 minutes of what turned out to be a national disappointment.

German head coach Julian Nagelsmann didn’t hold back after the match, telling Bild: “I don’t want to hear about ‘quality’ anymore — it’s about passion and emotion. We chose the best players in Germany, but maybe we need to pick those who are willing to fight, even if they have less talent.”

Nagelsmann added: “We have to treat every match, even ones like this, with the intensity of a Champions League semi-final. Playing cautiously isn’t enough, not even against teams like Slovakia. If we can’t show emotion, then quality won’t save us.”

While Wirtz wasn’t singled out, his midfield error directly contributed to Slovakia’s second goal. The coach’s criticism of the team’s lack of spirit has increased the pressure on Liverpool’s new No. 7.

Why This Matters for Liverpool and Wirtz

Wirtz, who signed for £116 million from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, played the entire match and earned a 7.2 SofaScore rating — the second-best among German players.

He has already demonstrated his quality at Liverpool and fits well into Arne Slot’s tactical setup, though Nagelsmann’s remarks may raise questions about his current form.

Wirtz remains a key figure for Germany, but this defeat has cast doubts on his mentality at a crucial moment in his young Liverpool career.

With fellow big signing Alexander Isak also arriving as part of the Reds’ summer overhaul, the club has made major investments in its future. The hope now is that Wirtz can quickly move past this international setback, deliver a strong performance against Northern Ireland, and help Liverpool in their pursuit of another Premier League title.