Florian Wirtz just did what Florian Wirtz does. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder notched an assist in his very first World Cup match, helping Germany open their 2026 campaign in the Group E clash against Curaçao on June 14.
For a player who missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to an ACL injury, the moment carries weight that goes well beyond the stat sheet.
From ACL tear to World Cup assist
Wirtz’s road to this tournament has been anything but straightforward. Born on May 3, 2003, he was already one of the most exciting young talents in European football when a torn ACL sidelined him and ruled him out of Germany’s ill-fated 2022 World Cup campaign.
He moved from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool FC in June 2025, a transfer that cemented his status as one of the sport’s elite creative forces.
