Florian Wirz is taking Germany by storm.
“Florian Wirz mesmerized the Bundesliga with a magical solo goal, stunning coach, teammates and opponents alike,” Sky Sports Germany reported on Tuesday (ET).
Leverkusen won 2-1 against Freiburg in the ninth round of the 2023/24 German Bundesliga at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, on Sept. 30 (ET). With the win, Leverkusen remained unbeaten and returned to first place.
Wirz was the team’s ace in the hole with a goal and an assist, and his stunning solo goal to make it 1-0 was reminiscent of legendary goals by Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, and “Jay-Jay” Okocha.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said: “To be honest, I don’t see goals like this very often. There are some things I can’t teach, like today, for example,” said Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
Birz is arguably Germany’s best talent. His soft touch on the ball allows him to break free and he has a dribbling ability that is rarely seen in players his age. As an attacking midfielder, he consistently delivers quality passes. Mario Goetze has been called the German Iniesta due to his similar playing style to Iniesta.
He made his Bundesliga debut in the 2019/20 season at the age of 17 and broke the Bundesliga record for the youngest player to score a goal in the 30th round against Bayern Munich. He hit his stride in the 2021/22 season and literally set the league alight, scoring 10 goals and providing 14 assists in 31 games before suffering an injury.
A cruciate ligament tear midway through the 2021/22 season kept him out of the World Cup in Qatar and he didn’t return until the second half of the 22/23 season. The year-long layoff didn’t kill him, and he showed flashes of his old form, scoring four goals and providing eight assists in 25 games to lead the team from the relegation zone to sixth place.
He has been linked with transfers throughout his career. Last season, Bayern Munich and Liverpool tried to snatch him up for a hefty fee, but he expressed his desire to stay in the Bundesliga and signed a new contract with Leverkusen until 2027.
Despite City’s desire for Birz, German outlet Kicker reported on September 10 (ET) that “Birz, one of Germany’s top football talents, is often the subject of speculation. However, the striker is under contract until 2027 and a transfer is not on the table.”
Leverkusen sporting director Jimon Rolfes added: “We are in a good position and he has a long-term contract with us. We are in a good position and he has a long-term contract with us. There is no reason to think about a transfer at the moment.”
Since re-signing, he’s been on a tear this season. With five goals and eight assists in 13 games, including two goals and four assists in the Europa League, he is proving once again why he is a top talent.
After the game, Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas 사설토토 Hradecki said: “It’s amazing, he does the same to me in training. Today he was world class, when he plays like that, he’s hard to stop.”
He was also recognized and praised by the opposing Freiburg coach and players. “Florian Wirz is an undefensible player,” said Freiburg coach Christian Streich. “It speaks volumes for him that he can stand out in such a good team,” said Freiburg captain Vincenzo Griffo.