Liverpool star Florian Wirtz is stepping out of his comfort zone

If there’s one word that defines Florian Wirtz’s life right now, it’s ‘motion’. This summer, Florian moved from Germany to England – switching Leverkusen for Liverpool – for a fee of £116 million. He became the club’s (then) record signing and smashed the Premier League’s transfer record in the process. Wirtz left everything he’d ever known behind. He wanted to test himself at the highest level of association football: The Premier League.

Today, he breezes onto set with a wide smile and quiet humility. Fresh from fronting adidas and BAPE’s latest campaign, his eyes light up as he slips into his next look: the long-sleeve Liverpool third kit, “It’s nice, eh?” he says, while pairing it up with a pair of Kapital jeans and some Superstars. Despite only being 22, Florian is at ease in front of the camera, carrying himself like someone who belongs here. Considering the trajectory of his career, it’s hardly surprising.

Far more surprising was the decision he made this summer. Pundits, fans, and experts were all sure he’d moved to Bayern Munich. He also reportedly rejected Manchester City and Real Madrid. Instead, he chose Liverpool. “I had to step out of my comfort zone,” he says. “Leaving everything behind was definitely harder. But I wanted that challenge. I want to give my very best, succeed, and become a better player.”

Liverpool’s record outlay was matched by the clarity of Arne Slot’s vision. “He gave me a clear idea of how he sees me and how he wants to use me. As soon as we spoke, I felt confident.” That trust has already translated into action: Wirtz has started every game in his favoured Number 10 role. Thriving there, however, is no small task in the Premier League.

Expectations are high. Florian Wirtz arrives after going invincible in the league in 2023/24 at Leverkusen, becoming the Bundesliga Player of the Season, and becoming the German Player of the Year last month. He also became the most popular name on the back of Liverpool’s new Adidas shirts this season, with his No. 7 shirt instantly becoming the club’s best-seller. For younger fans who consume football as much through screens as stadiums, Wirtz’s lofty 89 rating on this year’s EA Sports game makes him one of the best players in the game. In Gen-Z parlance, all the above would be described as “motion”. But the weight of expectation doesn’t faze him; anything but. “Being in the spotlight forces you to believe in yourself way more.” 

As one of the highest-profile transfers of all time, playing in the most-watched league on the planet, there is no bigger spotlight. With motion inevitably comes friction. Florian is under an unprecedented level of scrutiny. Every error is clipped, shared, and dissected by dedicated hate-watch accounts and television analysts. But Wirtz shrugs it off. “I’ve always had self-belief. I know what I can do, and I try to show it on the pitch.”

Being in the spotlight forces you to believe in yourself way more

Watch Wirtz play closely, and it’s hard to see him still for even a second. His head swivels constantly, scanning space, finding pockets before they open. His running stats aren’t from your classic Number 10 – he’s travelling more than 11km a game, on average – but those numbers don’t capture the full effect. 

Despite being hit with a few “welcome to the Prem” tackles, Wirtz looks calm, almost effortless, while burning through the short sprints and recovery runs in-game. “I run a lot, and I always try to give my 100 per cent on the pitch,” he says, “Maybe it’s the most underrated thing about my game. I hope I can help this team with that, and keep improving my running and intensity.”

Nowadays, players are under an increasingly microscopic lens. Along with VAR and ‘ref cams’, there are now ‘VIP Cameras’ that follow a dedicated player’s every individual movement on a match day. Florian was the most recent recipient of this in Liverpool’s recent win against Arsenal, and it went viral: not as a fail compilation but as a hypnotic highlight reel. The internet concluded what many already knew: this guy is going to bang.

Looking back at the summer window feels like a fever dream, but nobody can accuse Liverpool of resting on their laurels. Signing Wirtz was both a flex and a statement of intent – but he hasn’t shied away from sharing that intent. Upon arrival, Florian told fans, “I want to win everything.” His new teammate, Alexander Isak – whose own signing capped off one of the most incredible transfer windows in history – echoed those exact same words upon joining. But for both global stars of the game, it didn’t sound like bravado. It was cold conviction. 

Back in Germany, Wirtz is already a source of national pride, framed as the cornerstone of the next great cycle. In Liverpool, he’s more than just that: he’s a status symbol of the Premier League’s gravitational pull, a player able to bend the game to his will, and the leader of a new generation of Liverpool players looking to dominate world football over the next decade. That pressure can crush some players. For Wirtz, it feels like part of his flow.

Liverpool’s success has thrived on stability in recent years. Now, armed with a newly assembled side in which Florian Wirtz is the centre piece, they’re relying on youthful revolution. Asked how he wants to be remembered in a decade, he answers without hesitation: “I’m so proud to be at this club. I want to be remembered as a great player here.”