Florian Wirtz on scoring at EURO 2024, the Supercup and how he can get even better
Bayer Leverkusen and Germany star Florian Wirtz says he is determined not to take it easy after winning the Bundesliga Player of the Season award last season, and is hoping to improve his game further in 2024/25.
In an exclusive interview with bundesliga.com, the 21-year-old gave his thoughts on a number of topics, including his memorable goal at EURO 2024, the upcoming Supercup clash against VfB Stuttgart, and when he knew he could make it as a pro.
bundesliga.com: Bundesliga champion, DFB Cup winner, Player of the Season. You can put your feet up now, right?
Wirtz: “No, that's not my attitude. I want to build up on my performances and, above all, to get a bit better. We also want to be successful as a team and I don't think it would do us any good if we rested on what we achieved last season. Instead we have to try to keep pushing, get even better and then compete with the other teams again.”
bundesliga.com: What can you personally improve about your game?
Wirtz: “I think that you just have to make good decisions during the games, as well as being dangerous in front of the goal, and also working well at the back. Of course, you also need to be in good shape physically, so you have to make sure that your body is well looked after and that you're strong. Everything else comes automatically, so with every game you can take something with you and learn something. That's what I'm trying to do this season. I'm looking forward to it.”
Watch: See why Wirtz was voted the 2023/24 Player of the Season
bundesliga.com: What does the Player of the Season award mean to you?
Wirtz: "It's definitely a great honour, because there are quite a few good players in the league, and it makes me happy of course. It makes me proud to have been voted the best player of the season. Of course, I want to play well and inspire people again this season. We had great success with the team, especially going unbeaten the whole time. I wouldn't have been able to win that award without my team-mates. That's why they also played a big part in me winning this prize.”
bundesliga.com: When did you realise that you could make it as a professional player?
Wirtz: “To be honest, I didn’t think about playing with the pros as soon as possible at all when I was playing in the youth academy. I was only focusing on what I was doing in my team, so that we would win games and that we would be successful.
Watch: Bayer 04 and Stuttgart all set for Supercup
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"I think from the moment I came to Leverkusen, I felt a little bit that I wasn't too far away from the pros. A short time after that I started training with the first team and from that point on I realised that my footballing qualities might be enough. Of course, many more things have to come together.
"You have to be disciplined and always ready to give your all. I did that well. I also had a coach in Peter Bosz who backed me right from the start, who gave me the confidence to play. I would say after the first time I trained with the first team at Leverkusen it was the moment where I believed I could become a professional football player.”
Watch: The Florian Wirtz story
bundesliga.com: What was it like when you scored the equalising goal against Spain in the European Championship quarter-final?
Wirtz: “It was a very special moment. It felt like it was almost impossible because we were almost eliminated, and then I think the goal came in the 89th minute. My friends and family who were in the stadium also said that it was unbelievable, that everyone went crazy, that it was such a special feeling that went through your body. It was the same for me. I couldn't believe it. It was just a very, very beautiful moment.”
bundesliga.com: Have you already thought about your upcoming UEFA Champions League debut?
Wirtz: “It's not really in my thoughts at the moment, but I think it will be there when the season starts and when we head towards our first Champions League game. Having said that, when we clinched Champions League qualification [last season] there was already the sense of anticipation that we would finally play there. I'm happy and looking forward to hearing the Champions League anthem for the first time on the pitch and to play in this competition for the first time.”
Watch: The best of Florian Wirtz
bundesliga.com: Xabi Alonso said that your Supercup opponents Stuttgart are "currently one of the best teams in Europe." Do you agree?
Wirtz: “I think the coach probably has more teams on his radar than I do, but in Germany they were definitely one of the best teams. I think we played them three times last season, twice in the Bundesliga and once in the cup. Every time it was a really good football game, quite evenly balanced and it wasn't easy to win. I'm happy for them that they were able to take such a step forward. Furthermore, it's also very good for the league itself that more teams are getting better. I'm happy about that.”
bundesliga.com: What role does Leverkusen's 34-game unbeaten streak in the Bundesliga play in the upcoming season?
Wirtz: “It's not an issue for us. I think we're just trying to put our team together, to integrate the new players and be a confident team again this season. Last season, going unbeaten was just the icing on the cake. It gave us a little challenge until the end of the season to remain unbeaten. Now we just want to to approach our games in such a way that we win them. Losing is never fun, so of course, I hope that it doesn't happen. However, we know that it's not normal to not lose a game. That's how we are going to approach it.”
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