If Liverpool supporters are questioning whether Florian Wirtz can flourish at Anfield, his attempt at bouncing back during this World Cup might provide the answer.Wirtz was just 19 but already attracting interest from the biggest clubs in Europe when he missed the previous edition of the tournament four years ago because of a serious knee injury, as Germany’s then head coach Hansi Flick refused to rush him back into action and instead told the attacker to focus on the future.Naturally, that was a huge disappointment, but Wirtz accepted he was not fully ready for that mid-season World Cup and used the setback as motivation to return even stronger.In the years that followed, the silky-skilled dribbler won the Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen and completed a move to England for a larger transfer fee than any ever generated by a player from his homeland. Now front and centre in Germany’s attacking plans, this World Cup is an opportunity for the 23-year-old to lead his nation towards success, and also make up for lost time.No longer a teenager with the world at his feet, Wirtz is now recognised as a key senior player. Missing out on FIFA’s global jamboree last time only provides fuel for the fightback, and if the weeks ahead in North America go well, it could give him the base for an uplift in form when the Premier League kicks off again in August.Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen last summer (Jack Thomas/Getty Images)A strong summer should also help rebuild some of the confidence that has taken a hit after a disappointing debut season at Anfield.The shortcomings were clear.Wirtz did not score or assist often enough or provide the game-changing moments that were expected of a £100million ($133.5m at the current rate) buy. It is why he is also now in the rather unfortunate position of featuring in list articles ranking the worst Premier League signings of 2025-26.Worryingly for Liverpool, two of their other players — Alexander Isak and Harvey Elliott — tend to rank even higher in such pieces as the standout ‘flops’ of the campaign just ended for varying reasons.Isak, who arrived from Newcastle United as one of the hottest strikers in the world, struggled with injuries and a loss of form when he was able to play. Elliott was restricted on his season-long loan at Aston Villa due to a clause stipulating that they must sign him permanently for £30million once he reached 10 appearances, something manager Unai Emery quickly decided he did not want to happen.For Wirtz, that headline-grabbing transfer fee went against him, as it was always going to be used as a reference point whenever his performances came under scrutiny. At times, the price tag appeared to be weighing heavily on his shoulders; he had to wait until after Christmas for his first Liverpool goal, in his 23rd game for the club.Wirtz endured a difficult first season in English football (Michael Regan/Getty Images)End-of-season figures were certainly more favourable as he got to seven goals and eight assists across 48 appearances in all competitions, but it was not the blockbuster showing many had hoped for. Several big games passed him by, he failed to score against a single top-half Premier League side and found the net just once in the Champions League, in a 6-0 stroll past Qarabag of Azerbaijan.According to Transfermarkt, the statistics website that also assigns market valuations to players, Wirtz recorded the third-largest drop in value last season, moving from £140million at the start, to £100m now.Time may be on his side, but the pressure will be cranked up when the games begin again under new head coach Andoni Iraola.Settling in at Liverpool was not straightforward, especially as many found Wirtz to be a quiet and reserved character. He needed time to get used to his surroundings and feel comfortable around new team-mates.It wasn’t as if he was partying with the locals in the early days, like another German, Dietmar Hamann, who famously shocked team-mate Jamie Carragher in his first week at the club in 1999 when, after a night out, he lay down in the road to attract attention because he couldn’t get a taxi to stop. “That made the Liverpool players see me as someone other than the stereotypical serious and organised German, I think,” Hamann told UK newspaper The Guardian in 2012.Times are different now, and with players’ social gatherings far less common in the modern game, much of the bonding takes place on the pitch.Liverpool changed the way they played under second-year head coach Arne Slot last season to focus more of the play around newcomer Wirtz, but his early performances were not good and that left him feeling down.After a more fruitful spell around the turn of the year, the final few months of the season were then disrupted by injury and illness, which was again frustrating.Wirtz pulled out of a game against Nottingham Forest in February after feeling some discomfort in his back and then missed the next two outings. After a stomach bug ruled him out of Chelsea’s visit in May, he began the final two games of the season on the bench. He scored just once in 17 appearances to end the campaign.In an interview with The Athletic last month, Wirtz said: “I have big goals for next season, because this season hasn’t gone as planned.”The extensive weights programme he was placed on last season should help with the demands of Premier League football next time, even if the division is becoming more physical, direct and focused around set pieces.Playing under Iraola could also unlock more of his potential, and Liverpool still have faith in a player considered one of the gems of German football. They have invested huge money in Wirtz for the long term and believe he has a bright future. But, undoubtedly, he will need to start showing his qualities more often in his second season at Anfield.Although Wirtz showed moments of individual magic, his time away with Germany has been more productive as he has played on the left side of attack in coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team, who go into the World Cup on a nine-game winning run. Alongside Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, there is hope and expectation back home that the two 23-year-olds will shine in North America.Germany as a team, however, are one of the tournament’s great unknowns, even in a relatively straightforward-looking group with Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Curacao.If Wirtz can help his nation into the knockout stages and then to push deeper through the tournament, it could be the springboard for better times back at club level.The weight of a nation again falls on him but, after a tough first year at Liverpool, he knows exactly what that feels like.