FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt · U19 Bundesliga · Defender · #0 · Germany · 19 yrs
Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen last summer amid great fanfare in a then-British record £116m deal - but remained an enigma as he fell far short of expectations. Liverpool still have huge hopes for a gifted attacking player who has only just turned 23, which means one of Andoni Iraola's main tasks is to find a settled position for the German to release the talent he demonstrated before moving to Anfield. This is why Iraola will have been intrigued by what he saw from Wirtz in Germany's 7-1 win against Curacao in their opening World Cup game.
Germany will be without Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry for their campaign at the 2026 World Cup. Germany heads into the 2026 World Cup with a clear mission: capture a fifth global crown to equal Brazil’s historic all-time tournament record. However, the Europeans will have to face the elite competition in North America without one of their primary attacking weapons, as forward Serge Gnabry has been officially ruled out of the tournament. Gnabry’s World Cup dreams were completely shattered after he suffered a severe tear in the adductor muscles of his right thigh. The injury occurred during Bayern Munich’s final training session right before their Bundesliga clash against Stuttgart, immediately sidelining him for the rest of the domestic season and the international summer. “The last few days have been incredibly difficult to process. A season with Bayern Munich that still had so much at stake after securing another Bundesliga title over the weekend. As for the World Cup dream with the German national team… unfortunately, that is over for me. Just like the rest of the country, I will be supporting the boys from home,” Gnabry wrote on his Instagram account. His absence is a devastating tactical blow for manager Julian Nagelsmann, who had viewed the 30-year-old as an indispensable starter on the flank. Gnabry had started every single match during the European World Cup Qualifiers, anchoring the attack with three goals and one assist. Serge Gnabry celebrates a goal for Germany. (Getty Images) To bridge the gap out wide, Nagelsmann will have to rely on the seasoned experience of Leroy Sane, or lean heavily into the dynamic young brilliance of Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala. Sidelined by injury ahead of a World Cup once again Tragically for Gnabry, this is not the first time his body has betrayed him right on the cusp of soccer’s grandest stage. Back in 2018, while enjoying a spectacular breakout season with Hoffenheim, the winger was a lock to make Joachim Low’s final squad for the tournament in Russia. However, a severe groin injury picked up in late spring forced him to miss out on the competition entirely. He did find his redemption four years later at Qatar 2022, cementing himself as a preferred starter under then-coach Hansi Flick. During that winter campaign, Gnabry started all three group stage matches. However, it turned into a historic disaster for Germany, as the powerhouse nation failed to advance to the knockout rounds, finishing third in their group behind Spain and Japan. Gnabry had hoped 2026 would be the cycle to right those wrongs, but he will instead have to wait until 2030 for his next shot at World Cup glory.
