De la Fuente hails "fantastic" Florian Wirtz: “Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a Spanish passport”

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has delivered a glowing verdict on Germany and Liverpool star Florian Wirtz.

Asked by Sport Bild if there is one German player he would currently like to see playing for Spain, de la Fuente replied:

“Florian Wirtz. He is fantastic. Unfortunately, he does not have a Spanish passport (laughs). I like the way he plays.”

Over the years, the 65-year-old coach has watched many great players represent Die Nationalmannschaft.

“Germany has a great history in world football and had a major influence on the game at both club and international level, particularly in the 1970s,” he said.

“They have also produced one great player after another – not just Franz Beckenbauer. As a child, I admired Günter Netzer, an incredible player, when he was at Real Madrid. The dream passes he played were unique. Paul Breitner also stands out in my memory as a fantastic player.”