Florian Wirtz Illuminates Seven-Goal Thriller with Sure-Fire Puskas Award Contender

Basel — In a breathless 4-3 victory over Switzerland that twisted one way then the other for 90 minutes, Florian Wirtz re-announced himself as Germany’s headline act with two decisive goals and a moment of ingenuity that will travel far beyond the borders of St. Jakob-Park.

The 22-year-old arrived on international duty on the back of an eight-match scoreless streak for Liverpool, the club that made him a nine-figure acquisition last summer. Any doubts about that outlay evaporated on the hour mark when, from a short corner routine, Wirtz shaped to cross, instead arcing a sumptuous, curling effort beyond keeper Gregor Kobel and inside the far post to nudge Germany ahead at 3-2.

That strike alone would have cemented man-of-the-match status, yet Wirtz was not finished. After the Swiss clawed their way back to 3-3, the midfielder slammed home the winner late on, completing a personal haul that also included the assists for Jonathan Tah’s opener and Serge Gnabry’s first-half finish.

In total, Wirtz had a hand in every German goal, playing five key passes, winning four tackles and prevailing in five of eight duels, numbers that underscored a performance as complete as it was dazzling. He even carved out three additional chances for team-mates and missed one gilt-edged opportunity of his own, a reminder of the constant menace he posed.

The result keeps Germany’s momentum building ahead of this summer’s World Cup, where Wirtz’s creative spark is increasingly viewed as essential to a tilt at a fifth global title. For Liverpool supporters, the display offered a tantalising glimpse of what the playmaker can produce when confidence meets opportunity; for neutrals, it provided an early, luminous entry for the 2026 FIFA Puskas Award.