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9.09.2021Bayer 04

Werkself DNA in Germany team: Wirtz is number 34

Florian Wirtz became the youngest Bayer 04 player to win a full international cap for Germany in the World Cup qualifier against Liechtenstein (2-0). That means the 18-year-old, who also played in the following two games in the international break, has opened a new Black and Red chapter in the Germany team history.
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Bayer 04 have brought through the next Germany international in Florian Wirtz. The 5 feet 9 midfielder recently made his debut for Germany under new coach Hansi Flick who was appointed in August.

His predecessor Joachim Löw was the Germany coach for 15 years – and he used to regularly include Black and Reds in his line-ups. During the Löw era, a total of 17 Werkself players wore the Germany shirt – including members of the current Bayer 04 squad such as Jonathan Tah, Karim Bellarabi and Nadiem Amiri as well as former players like honorary captain Lars Bender, Toni Kroos and Gonzalo Castro.

Pioneer Herbert Waas

Wirtz is the 34th Leverkusen player to make his debut for Germany. The history of Bayer 04 and the German national side goes back to the 1980s.

The first Bayer 04 player to appear for the senior Germany team was Herbert Waas. The centre-forward wore the Leverkusen shirt for eight years – between 1982 and 1990. The first full international came in June 1983 under the then Germany coach Jupp Derwall.

Franz Beckenbauer, Berti Vogts, Erich Ribbeck and Rudi Völler also selected Werkself players regularly over the course of the following years. Here is the list of Germany debutants who were at Bayer 04 when they played their first full international:

COACH HANSI FLICK

2021: Florian Wirtz

COACH JOACHIM LÖW

2019: Nadiem Amiri

2018: Kai Havertz, Bernd Leno, Jonathan Tah, Julian Brandt

2016: Benjamin Henrichs

2014: Karim Bellarabi, Sidney Sam

2013: Philipp Wollscheid

2011: Lars Bender

2010: Toni Kroos, Stefan Reinartz

2008: René Adler

2007: Stefan Kießling, Gonzalo Castro, Simon Rolfes

2006: Manuel Friedrich

COACH RUDI VÖLLER

2003: Hanno Balitsch

2002: Thomas Brdaric

COACH ERICH RIBBECK

1999: Bernd Schneider

1998: Carsten Ramelow

COACH BERTI VOGTS

1998: Paulo Rink, Stefan Beinlich

1997: Jens Nowotny

1992: Ulf Kirsten, Heiko Scholz, Christian Wörns

1990: Andreas Thom

COACH FRANZ BECKENBAUER

1989: Alois Reinhardt

1988: Knut Reinhardt

1986: Thomas Hörster

1984: Christian Schreier

COACH JUPP DERWALL

1983: Herbert Waas

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