LIVERPOOL, July 1 Betandsured. Andoni Iraola’s first significant challenge as Liverpool manager may already be taking shape in the United States, where Florian Wirtz has returned from a World Cup campaign that posed more questions than answers about the German’s readiness to justify his British record price tag.
Germany’s astonishing penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the Round of 32 sent Julian Nagelsmann’s side packing at the earliest opportunity, leaving Wirtz to reflect on a tournament that showcased his undeniable quality while reinforcing concerns about his capacity to influence matches at the highest level.
The 23 year old, who arrived at Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen last summer in a deal that could reach £116 million, was withdrawn in the 110th minute of the Foxborough encounter, spared the ordeal of a shootout in which three of his compatriots failed from the spot . He watched from the sidelines as Jonathan Tah blazed over and Paraguay completed the most improbable of upsets.
A Tournament of Contradictions
Wirtz’s individual statistics across Germany’s four matches tell a story of creative industry: three assists, a tournament high 13 successful passes into the box against Paraguay alone, and an expected assists value of 0.67 in that fixture, the 10th best single game playmaking performance of the entire competition . His delivery for Kai Havertz’s equaliser was characteristically precise, and he was consistently Germany’s most threatening presence.
Yet the numbers obscure a more troubling pattern. For much of the tournament, Nagelsmann deployed Wirtz on the left flank rather than in the central creative role he occupied so devastatingly under Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen. Jamal Musiala was preferred through the middle in the group stage, and when Germany switched to a 4-4-2, Wirtz found himself operating in wide areas .
It was a familiar predicament for Liverpool supporters who watched Arne Slot deploy the German across the forward line and in midfield without ever settling on a definitive role. The result was a player who dazzled in patches but struggled to impose himself consistently, a theme that has now followed him from Anfield to the world stage.
The Iraola Factor
Iraola, who succeeded Slot after Liverpool’s miserable Premier League title defence, has already identified Wirtz as a central figure in his project . The Basque coach’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, with its emphasis on high pressing, direct attacking transitions, and creative freedom for the No.10, appears tailor made for the German’s attributes .
“Iraola’s system is designed to place players like him in situations where decisions matter and technicians deliver,” noted one tactical analysis of Liverpool’s new direction. “That is usually where Wirtz does his best work” .
The challenge, however, lies in overcoming the physicality that neutralised Wirtz against Paraguay’s agricultural approach. The South Americans, to a man, appeared ready to “tackle a tank in pursuit of victory,” and Wirtz’s struggles against such aggression have been noted since his arrival in English football.
Jurgen Klopp, offering analysis for German television, provided characteristically straightforward advice to his successor: “Just give him the ball” . The former Liverpool manager elaborated that Wirtz thrives when teammates actively seek to involve him, particularly in advanced positions where his creative instincts can flourish.
A Pre Season Head Start
There is, perhaps, a silver lining to Germany’s premature exit. Wirtz will now return to Merseyside earlier than anticipated, affording Iraola additional time to integrate the playmaker into his system before the Premier League campaign begins .
The early signs are encouraging. Liverpool’s recruitment this summer has suggested a commitment to surrounding Wirtz with the kind of pace and aggression that Iraola demands. The signings of Jeremy Jacquet and the pursuit of players capable of operating in a high intensity framework indicate a squad being built around the German’s creative gifts .
Yet the jury remains out on whether Wirtz can fulfil the expectations that his transfer fee demands. Alexander Isak, Liverpool’s other record signing striker, has similarly struggled to justify his price tag, and the weight of those combined investments now falls squarely on Iraola’s shoulders.
The Basque coach must solve the Wirtz riddle that eluded both Slot and Nagelsmann. If he succeeds, Liverpool may finally possess the creative fulcrum around which a new era can be built. If not, Anfield will be left with another expensive enigma and a manager facing questions about his ability to extract value from the game’s most costly assets.
