Germany’s new superstar leads Leverkusen, breaks records and is already worth 150 million.

Germany has a new young superstar in 20-year-old Florian Wirtz.

Bayer Leverkusen have taken everything in their path this season to claim their first Bundesliga title, and Wirtz has shone in his No.10 role.

The Germany international has been increasingly talked about throughout the campaign and has been one of the big winners from the revolution that coach Xabi Alonso has wrought at Leverkusen.

It is no coincidence that on the day the team secured the title with a resounding 5-0 win over Werder Bremen, it was Florian Wirz who also recorded a historic personal achievement with the first hat-trick of his career.

Before the start of this unforgettable campaign for him and his team, Wirtz himself asked to take the shirt with No. 10, vacated by the departure of Kerem Demirbay.

The mythical number for the football game did not put additional pressure on the young man’s game, on the contrary – it seemed to accelerate his development even more.

He is becoming an increasingly important figure for the Bundesliga and a month ago he scored the fastest goal in the history of the German national team.

He needed only 7 seconds to score in the control against France, and this is not even his personal record, because he scored in the fifth second of a match in Cologne in the juniors.

His historical achievements are no longer few, but what makes him so special and what are the qualities that raised his price to as much as 150 million euros?

It was this price that Bayer CEO Fernando Caro indicated when asked about a possible sale of the young star.

The interest of top teams in Wirtz is not surprising, as his progress is obvious, and he has already accumulated solid experience at the top level for his age.

When he made his Bundesliga debut at the age of 17 years and 15 days, Florian set a record for the youngest player in the German elite. He then had to overcome a career-threatening knee injury and was sidelined for 10 months – but came back stronger.

One of Wirtz’s most devastating weapons is his technique.

His impeccable first touch gives him not only control, but also time to consider his options and put defenders in a dilemma – whether to drop back and leave him space, or come forward aggressively at the risk of being tackled instantly.

In addition, Wirtz is a master of passing but is not only focused on the risky lead-off passes that we traditionally associate with attacking midfielders.

He is 11th in Europe’s premier leagues for accurate short passes and his figures are comparable to those of stars such as Granit Xhaka, Rodri and William Saliba. These are footballers who are not expected to make risky passes cutting through the defense.

In the Bundesliga, Wirtz is No.1 in double assists completed (41) and only Arsenal’s Martin Jodegaard has made more successful passes than him in the penalty area.

Florian’s 19 assists in all competitions speak volumes for his contribution as a playmaker this season.

And if we add to them the 17 goals, we see a complete performance of a big star.

Even before working with Xabi Alonso, Florian Wirtz displayed tactical intelligence beyond his years.

When he was only 14, he was already playing for the 17-year-olds and was skipping whole age groups at the Cologne school.

It is immediately noticeable that he is able to escape in minimal space and can overcome any opponent in one-on-one play.

But more importantly, he’s able to use those assets to gain ground, break down opposing defenses and create a numerical advantage in the right zones.

Bayer Leverkusen are keen to get Wirtz the ball between the opposition lines because he is one of those players who can make a huge impact there.

Wirtz also has no problem dropping further back to act as an additional inside midfielder, helping with deep pressing from the other team and picking up counter-attacks.

However, Alonso is aware that talent is most useful near goal and is encouraging him to take more and more responsibility to finish attacks himself.

Wirtz’s finishing has never been in question (his Bundesliga debut goal was against Manuel Neuer himself), but perhaps in the past he has been too combinative and tended to pass more than shoot.

His unselfishness has kept him from scoring so far, but he’s averaging 2.59 shots per 90 minutes this season compared to 1.75 throughout his career.

His shot accuracy has also improved, as has his conversion rate – it’s just that Florian Wirtz is unlocking his talent more and more and it’s no wonder he’s become so fundamental for Leverkusen this season.

Obviously, there is no doubt that the German possesses the basic qualities of a playmaker, but with this type of football player, the hard work and defensive play are often not at a high enough level.

However, Wirtz is also willing to work without the ball and is in the top 10 in the Bundesliga this season in tackles won and interceptions.

The youngster is willing to work in defense and press, and has the reputation of being diligent and serious in training.

The average of 12.3 km run per match, as well as an average of 33 sprints per match, speak for his hard work. In both indicators, Wirtz is in the top 5 of the Bundesliga.

It is still not common for such a talented footballer to be so dedicated to doing the dirty work as well. Therefore, Florian Wirtz is a real gem in Alonso’s scheme and the question is how long Bayer Leverkusen will be able to keep him.

His place in Germany’s squad for the European Championship is guaranteed and it’s no wonder we see him playing more and more under Julian Nagelsmann.

On the face of it, Wirtz has a lot of competition for the starting job in Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala.

But the coach has already tried out an option with Wirtz and Musiala together in the squad, and it worked well against France and the Netherlands in March.

Watching the two super talents together on the pitch is exciting not only for Bundesliga fans but also for neutral spectators.

And a brilliant performance at Euro 2024 will boost Wirtz’s price even further – and establish him as one of the most impressive young players in world football.