Florian Wirtz’s reference position is No.10, but his Liverpool role is not tied to one patch of the pitch. He can start centrally or from either side, drift into pockets between the lines, and at times operate as a false nine. Under new head coach Andoni Iraola, the precise shape is still emerging: early matches show Wirtz involved in Liverpool’s attacking transitions, not a settled, definitive positional blueprint.
Where does Wirtz play for Liverpool?
Wirtz gave the clearest answer in a Liverpool interview on August 1, 2026: “Of course. I mean, I was always more like a No.10. But I play where the manager puts me.” The comment captures both his preference and his flexibility. A No.10 is the natural reference point, not a promise that he will stay central throughout a match.
The coaching context matters. Arne Slot managed Wirtz in his first Liverpool season, 2025/26; Andoni Iraola is the current head coach in 2026/27. Liverpool’s recent lineup and match report show Wirtz selected in the attacking unit and involved in forward moves, but a team sheet does not reveal his exact position in possession. Liverpool’s interview with Wirtz records his preference; the club’s September 2026 Bournemouth report documents early-season action.
How his role has changed across teams and seasons
At Bayer Leverkusen
In Leverkusen’s 2024/25 season, Wirtz was deployed mainly as an inverted left winger: he started wide, then could move inward onto the ball or into central spaces. Liverpool’s June 2025 analysis says 45 per cent of his open-play touches came on the left side of the opposition half that season. That figure supports the left-sided starting role, but does not mean he was confined to the flank.
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He also drifted across the attacking line like a No.10 and had played as a false nine at times in 2023/24. His history therefore points to a creator who can change lanes and height, rather than a player whose usefulness depends on one fixed starting spot. Liverpool’s analysis of his Leverkusen role also reports 253 open-play chances created in the Bundesliga from his May 2020 debut and 44 Bundesliga assists across his Leverkusen spell. Those are historical Bundesliga totals, not Liverpool figures.
At Liverpool under Arne Slot, 2025/26
The Premier League’s analysis of Slot’s first season with Wirtz describes deployments at No.10, on the left, on the right and as a false nine. It also identifies a tactical adjustment: Wirtz increasingly avoided the most congested central areas and received in pockets nearer the final third. In some matches, Alexis Mac Allister or Curtis Jones occupied the No.10 space, enabling Wirtz to play higher.
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That account suggests why his nominal position can mislead. A teammate might take the central starting zone while Wirtz moves beyond or around it; the important question is where he receives and whether he has room to turn, combine or attack the box. The Premier League’s figures illustrate a change during that Slot-era period: comparing his first 15 league matches with his following six, Wirtz completed 14 versus 16 dribbles and averaged 45.6 versus 73.8 passes per 90, respectively. These comparisons belong to the 2025/26 analysis and should not be read as current-season Iraola numbers. The Premier League analysis discusses the change in his involvement.
At Liverpool under Andoni Iraola, 2026/27
Wirtz has described the season as a new start after saying he was not satisfied with the previous campaign. In the opening portion of 2026/27, Liverpool’s reporting provides examples of his involvement in transitions, but no attributable Iraola statement defines a settled role for him. It is more accurate to describe him as a flexible advanced attacker, with No.10 his stated preference, than to claim that the new coach has fixed him in a particular position.
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In Liverpool’s September 2026 match against Bournemouth, Wirtz combined with Bradley Barcola during a counter-attack that ended with Barcola’s chance, and he helped contest the ball that fell to Alexander Isak for the winning goal. Those moments show him involved in forward transitions and around the box; one match cannot establish a season-long pattern.
What makes the fit work?
Wirtz’s value depends on more than the label beside his name on a lineup graphic. His role works best when the shape gives him room to receive between opposition lines and when teammates’ movement opens a route to combine or advance. Useful things to watch are:
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- Starting position: whether he begins centrally as a No.10, from an inverted flank, or higher as a false nine.
- Receiving space: whether he gets the ball in crowded central areas or in a pocket closer to the final third.
- Freedom to drift: whether he can move across the attacking line to create overloads, rather than being held in one channel.
- Teammate movement: whether a striker runs beyond him, a winger attacks open space, or another midfielder occupies the central zone.
- Phase of play: whether he is influencing settled possession, a counter-attack or a pressing transition.
Liverpool’s early 2026/27 analysis describes Iraola’s team as pressing high and moving the ball forward quickly after five matches. That approach may suit Wirtz’s ability to receive between lines, turn and combine, but this is a tactical inference from the team context—not a club statement that Iraola has designed a specific role around him. Liverpool’s early-season team analysis describes the broader approach.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is established—and what is not—about his current role?
The evidence supports a clear distinction: Wirtz has a stated preference for the No.10 role and a track record of contributing from several advanced positions. Current Liverpool sources establish that he has been selected in the attacking unit and involved in early attacking moves under Iraola. They do not yet establish a definitive, consistent in-possession position or show that the Slot-era arrangement has carried over unchanged.
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