Wirtz joined Liverpool in June 2025, after Klopp left the club, and has scored seven goals in all competitions for the Reds.
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In an interview with BBC Sport, when asked who he thinks will be the standout players in this summer’s tournament, Klopp’s affinity for Liverpool came to the fore.
“I hope Flo Wirtz has a fantastic, fantastic World Cup. I think he has everything you need to be an outstanding player,” Klopp said.
“I don’t want to put pressure on the kid. I really think he’s already shown how good he can be in a difficult season.”
Klopp was Liverpool manager from 2015 to 2024, where he won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and more in a successful spell at Anfield.
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He is now head of global football at Red Bull and will be working on the World Cup for German television as an expert, as well as a global ambassador for Budweiser.
Some of the players who had the biggest impact in winning those trophies are at this summer’s tournament in North America and Klopp spoke fondly of his former players.
“I hope my players have a great World Cup,” he added.
“I hope that Andy Robertson and Alisson Becker can enjoy that when they meet. Can you imagine that you play together for so long and Scotland qualify for the World Cup for the first time, I don’t know, since when, and you meet each other, with your friends, with your mutual friends, and you meet at a game like that? I mean, that must be one of the happiest moments of your lives.
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“I wish Virgil (van Dijk) has a great tournament. I really wish Mo (Salah) has a great tournament. Honestly, I wish Sadio (Mane) has a great tournament. Macca (Alexis Mac Allister), if he won, if they win it again. “It was really nice to see him with a medal around his neck and when he came back to Brighton.
“A lot of (my) former players are part of the World Cup, which is really nice. And to see how time goes by. Another former player of mine will be my co-expert, Mats Hummels, Thomas Muller too, but Mats Hummels was my former player. So suddenly things changed perspective.”