Florian Wirtz Analysis: GoalBible's FIFA World Cup 2026 Player to Watch

Old Trafford has been Mo Salah's personal hunting ground for years. Seven goals and three assists across his last five visits to the Theatre of Dreams. That's not a stat line, that's a statement. But this Sunday, Liverpool make that trip without him.

Salah limped off in the 59th minute against Crystal Palace with a hamstring injury, and the fear around Anfield is that he won't play again this season. A farewell tour cut short. Just like that, Liverpool's most dangerous weapon is gone, and someone else has to carry the load.

That someone is supposed to be Florian Wirtz. And if he delivers on Sunday, the world will start believing he can do the same on the biggest stage of all — the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Wirtz's Slow Start Was Never the Full Picture

Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million (roughly 1.45x his transfer fee in squad value already). He was a two-time Player of the Season in the Bundesliga, operating as a left-sided attacker. At Liverpool, he's been asked to play almost everywhere — but mostly as an attacking midfielder, which took time to settle into.

Here at GoalBible, I've tracked his positional usage closely, and honestly, Arne Slot's hesitation to pin down a fixed role for his No.7 clearly affected Wirtz's rhythm early in the season.

The numbers on the surface look modest: five Premier League goals, eight total goal involvements. His goal against Crystal Palace last week was his first since January. Not exactly the blockbuster debut Liverpool fans were hoping for.

Wirtz's Expected Assists (xA) in the Premier League sits at 5.9. That's the number of assists he should have had if his teammates converted the chances he created. His actual assist count is lower not because he's not creating, but because the finishing around him hasn't been there.

Florian Wirtz vs Bruno Fernandes

Fernandes has 19 assists in the season with four games remaining, on the verge of breaking Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne's all-time record of 20 Premier League assists in a single season. It's a genuinely elite campaign, no argument there.

But strip out his set-piece contributions, and Fernandes' open-play xA drops to 7.8. Wirtz's open-play xA? 5.6. That gap is far smaller than the raw assist numbers suggest, and when you factor in that this is Wirtz's first season in English football, adjusting to a new club in transition, the comparison shifts considerably.

At GoalBible, I'd argue Wirtz's underlying numbers deserve far more credit than they're currently getting.

Two Different Players, Two Different Systems

Look past the surface stats and Wirtz's season holds up better than most people give him credit for.

Yes, he creates fewer chances per game than Fernandes in open play. But I don't think that's a Wirtz problem. That's a system problem. Liverpool aren't set up to funnel everything through one creator. Manchester United, on the other hand, have basically handed Fernandes the keys. He's encouraged to be aggressive with the ball, take risks, spray passes around. If something comes off, great. If not, try again. That's the freedom he's been given.

That's how you get a player generating close to four chances per 90 minutes and threading 1.5 through balls a game, with a passing accuracy sitting closer to 80% than 85%. Fernandes isn't a tidy passer. He's a high-volume one. Give him the ball and he's already looking to play something forward. He rarely beats a man with a dribble. His game is almost entirely pass-first.

Wirtz operates differently. He can pick a pass and beat his man. That dual threat is something Fernandes simply doesn't offer. The problem is Liverpool haven't built their attack to maximize that. He's been asked to fit the system, not define it. We've seen moments where you catch a glimpse of what he's truly capable of, but a full 90 minutes where Wirtz completely takes over a game? That hasn't happened yet at Anfield.

Sunday Is the Moment

Old Trafford, without Salah, against the man currently holding the title of most creative player in the Premier League, this is the exact stage where reputations are made.

If Wirtz steps into that void and controls the game on United's home ground, it changes the narrative around his debut season entirely. It signals that Liverpool have a post-Salah attacking identity forming. It puts Fernandes on notice that his creative crown has a legitimate challenger.

And practically speaking, a win keeps Liverpool in contention for a third-place finish.

GoalBible Final Verdict on Florian Wirtz

Wirtz's debut season hasn't hit the heights Liverpool fans expected, but the underlying numbers tell a more encouraging story. The foundation is there. Sunday at Old Trafford, without Salah and against Fernandes in record-chasing form, is the biggest moment of his Liverpool career so far.

Beyond this weekend, the FIFA World Cup 2026 picture matters just as much. Germany need a creative focal point across venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer. At GoalBible, I believe Wirtz is their best option in that role. His passing range combined with his ability to carry the ball gives Germany something they've lacked in recent tournaments. For those interested, Florian Wirtz is currently priced at 41.00 to be the tournament's top goalscorer on 1xBet.

For a deeper look at Germany's World Cup 2026 squad and group stage predictions, check out GoalBible's full breakdown on our Germany FIFA World Cup 2026 analysis post.

If you want to back Germany or follow the World Cup 2026 outright markets, 1xBet would be my recommendation. Germany are currently priced at 13.20 to lift the trophy. Their range of international football markets is among the best available right now. Before you sign up, check out the GoalBible 1xBet Review for a full breakdown of their platform, odds, and welcome promotions.

Wirtz has one game to change the conversation. GoalBible will be watching.