Jürgen Klopp praises Florian Wirtz and backs Liverpool stars at 2026 FIFA World Cup

Wirtz joined Liverpool last summer for $157 million -Credit:James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images

Wirtz is widely anticipated to play a pivotal role for Germany in the upcoming World Cup, with the four-time champions eager to advance beyond the group stage for the first time since claiming the trophy back in 2014, as per the Liverpool Echo.

Klopp stated: "I hope Flo Wirtz will have a fantastic, fantastic World Cup. I think he has everything you need to be a standout player.

"I don't want to put any pressure on the boy. I really think he showed already how good he can be in a difficult season."

Klopp, who currently serves as head of global football at Red Bull, is set to attend the tournament in North America in a broadcasting capacity for German television, alongside a role as global ambassador for Budweiser.

Speaking with BBC Sport, Klopp made clear his desire to see his former Liverpool players shine on the world's biggest stage.

"I hope my players will have a great World Cup," he added. "I hope that Andy Robertson and Alisson Becker can enjoy that when they meet each other.

"Can you imagine that you play together for such a long time and Scotland qualifies first time, I don't know, since when, for the World Cup, and you meet each other, your friends, your mutual friends, and you meet each other in a game like that? I mean, that must be one of the happiest moments in your life.

"I wish Virgil (van Dijk) will have a great tournament. I really wish for Mo (Salah) that he will have a great tournament. I honestly wish that Sadio (Mane) will have a great tournament. Macca (Alexis Mac Allister), if he won, if they win it again. It was so nice to see him with a medal around his neck when he came back to Brighton.

"So many (of my) former players are part of the World Cup, which is really, really nice. And to see how time flies."