by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Wearing a shy smile, Florian Wirtz soaked in the applause at Basel's St. Jakob Park.
Dozens of fans cheered the 22-year-old Liverpool forward as he reflected in post-match television interviews on his two goals and two assists, which helped Germany secure a 4-3 victory over Switzerland, its first win over the host nation in 18 years.
The outpouring of praise, hailing a world-class display, felt almost therapeutic for the Liverpool attacker after a difficult start following his move from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
"He can benefit from a difficult situation. It shapes your personality as a young footballer when things don't always go in one direction," Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
While international media lauded Wirtz's performance, Nagelsmann revealed he had held multiple discussions with his leading forward, who has struggled in the Premier League under the weight of a reported 125 million euro transfer fee.
"We grew closer over the months," Nagelsmann said. "He completely opened up. He is a very smart person, you get a lot of valuable responses."
Developing resilience is essential for a player on the path to world-class level, Nagelsmann added, noting that Wirtz, one of 10 siblings, is making that progression.
The coach described the challenges in Liverpool as natural, saying Wirtz "wasn't used to this amount of headwinds."
Wirtz himself called it his best performance in a Germany shirt, with his parents, Karin and Hans, watching from the stands in Basel.
Germany great and television pundit Lothar Matthaus described the display as outstanding.
"This was cum laude," the 1990 World Cup winner said. "It's not only his breathtaking goals. Teammates look to him as a leading force. He is diligent, including in defensive work."
Matthaus added that Wirtz's self-confidence had returned.
Emerging as Germany's driving force, Wirtz appeared swept up in the moment.
"We want to reach the World Cup final and win the trophy. There is no reason to hide behind anyone," he said.
German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung called his performance "final-like" and "a personal show." Swiss television labeled him "a magician," while Spanish newspaper AS said Wirtz is worth the 125 million euros Liverpool paid.
Nagelsmann called him a game-changer, praising his interpretation of the No. 10 role.
"His name is known in world football. If he stays on this path, he will be at the top of the game," the coach said.
For Wirtz, the most meaningful moment came later that night, when he embraced his parents. ■
