Florian Wirtz named Bundesliga Player of the Season for 2023/24
Florian Wirtz has been named the Bundesliga’s Player of the Season for 2023/24 after a remarkable campaign that saw him power Bayer Leverkusen’s push for their historic maiden Bundesliga title.
Wirtz’s stellar season saw him voted the Player of the Month on three occasions (October, December and February), and now he’s crowned the campaign by being named the best player all season thanks to your votes in determining the Team of the Season.
Who joined Wirtz in the Bundesliga’s top XI for 2023/24?
Two players won the monthly award, presented by EA Sports, on two occasions in VfB Stuttgart duo Serhou Guirassy (September and March) and Deniz Undav (November and January), while Wirtz’s Werkself teammates Alejandro Grimaldo (April) and Victor Boniface (August), who has also just been named Rookie of the Season, were voted once each.
Watch: Every Wirtz goal and assist this season
A treble on the cards?
And what a season it’s been for Wirtz and Leverkusen as a whole, as they claimed the Bundesliga title for the first time ever and are also on for a potential treble, with finals in the UEFA Europa League and DFB Cup to come. The attacking midfielder only turned 21 at the start of May but has been a leading figure in all key statistics for Xabi Alonso’s still unbeaten side.
Wirtz has registered 11 goals and 11 assists so far this campaign, which are both personal bests for a Bundesliga season. And despite often being rested in the latter stage of the campaign, he has still come off the bench a number of times to make an impact, like scoring his first senior hat-trick as a second-half sub to wrap up the title in the 5-0 win against Werder Bremen. “Flo is a good player even at 70 percent,” said Alonso, who knows a thing or two about that it takes to be a top performer.
Watch: The story of Florian Wirtz
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“You can’t defend against Florian Wirtz”
Wirtz has also been denied by the frame of the goal a league-high five times, but it isn’t just in his finishing or assists where the native of Pulheim - less than 20km away from Leverkusen - makes his mark. He’s come to be the complete package at the heart of the action, capable of dribbling, distributing, covering ground and also boasting a nippy turn of pace.
Wirtz has shown this season – his first full campaign since recovering from the ACL injury he suffered in 2022 – that he has it all. That he’s simply enjoying his time playing at this high level was evidenced by his brilliant goal against Freiburg on Matchday 9, when he twisted and turned past numerous defenders before scoring what German TV audiences voted the 2023 Goal of the Year on Sportschau. Freiburg boss Christian Streich admitted afterwards: “You can’t defend against Florian Wirtz”.
Watch: Wirtz's best dribbles this season
Germany’s big hope for Euros
Defending against Wirtz really did seem impossible as the season drew to a close, as opponents across the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Europa League will no doubt admit. Some of them could well be confronted by German football’s Wunderkind again this summer as he looks to lead the hosts to UEFA Euro 2024 glory.
How might Wirtz feature for Germany at Euro 2024?
Wirtz got to announce his own call-up via a video at a gig by rapper Nina Chuba. “I’m looking forward to this summer,” he told those in attendance. The whole of Germany, if not the world, can now look forward to the Bundesliga’s Player of the Season producing more magic on the international stage.
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