Liverpool supporters will be keeping a close eye on their players during this World Cup, hoping that a strong tournament can provide the perfect springboard heading into next season. Ten Reds have made the journey, although interestingly, not a single one made Thomas Tuchel’s England squad. Of the Liverpool contingent at the tournament, perhaps no player needs a positive summer more than Alexander Isak.
The Swedish striker endured a difficult debut campaign on Merseyside, due to a variety of issues, and was never able to replicate the performances we had seen during his time at Newcastle. Even Florian Wirtz, who managed to improve as the season went on, did not live up to his large price tag and will be hoping for a much hotter start to the 2026/27 season.
So, let us take a look at how the pair got on during their respective World Cup openers.
Sweden Begin with a Statement Victory
Sweden’s 5-1 drubbing of Tunisia was the most goals they’ve scored in a World Cup in 88 years 🤯 pic.twitter.com/7XkQM8Kway
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 15, 2026
Sweden are perhaps a little fortunate to be at the World Cup, given they made it through the backdoor route of the Nations League, but you would not have guessed it from their match against Tunisia. They swept past their North African opponents with an emphatic 5-1 victory in Monterrey. Sweden were favourites for the clash, but they were not expected to demolish a nation who were only seven places behind them in the FIFA rankings when the tournament began.
The win for Graham Potter’s side moves them to the top of Group F after the Netherlands and Japan had earlier shared a 2-2 draw. Brighton’s Yasin Ayari, who coincidentally is of Tunisian descent, stole the headlines with two excellent goals, but Sweden’s attacking unit, spearheaded by Isak, was outstanding throughout.
Isak Involved in Three Goals
Isak scored Sweden’s second of the game after cutting inside and curling a shot into the far corner. It was an effort that the goalkeeper probably ought to have saved, but a slightly unfortunate bounce saw it skip over his hand rather than go to the side. Even if you ignore the finish, Isak still deserves credit for driving towards the box having picked up the ball around the halfway line.
Some Liverpool fans will have been more impressed with Isak’s contribution to his country’s third goal of the match. When Tunisia’s Ellyes Skhiri received the ball from his goalkeeper, Isak went to press and successfully stole the ball away. Skhiri tried to recover, but Isak denied him with a strong shoulder block before rolling the ball into the path of Victor Gyokeres, who made no mistake.
Isak’s other assist was much harder to spot but was just as crucial. When a free-kick was swung in from the right, Isak got a small toe on the ball before it landed at the feet of Mattias Svanberg who tucked the ball home. This barely noticeable touch was decisive as it meant Svanberg was no longer offside.
While this was far from a vintage assist, Liverpool fans will have been buoyed by seeing Isak so lively and involved throughout the match. Based on his Tunisia showing, there should be more goal contributions to come.
Germany Run Riot Against Curacao
A new record for Germany 🙌🇩🇪
Their 7-1 win over Curaçao in Houston has set a new benchmark for total @FIFAWorldCup goals. pic.twitter.com/lGJz0rxPHU
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) June 14, 2026
Like Sweden, Germany also made a statement in their opening match, crushing World Cup debutants Curacao 7-1 in Houston. Julian Nagelsmann’s side briefly found themselves pegged back after Curacao equalised, but the four-time world champions quickly demonstrated their superior quality. Kai Havertz scored twice, while Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav all got on the scoresheet as Germany overwhelmed their opponents.
Of course, this was a game Germany should have won, but few expected them to win by such a large margin.
Wirtz Shows His Class
Wirtz may not have found the back of the net, but he still left his mark on the contest with an assist. The Liverpool midfielder created Germany’s opening goal after a clever one-two with Nmecha, producing a perfectly weighted pass that allowed the Borussia Dortmund man to curl the ball in with a first-time shot.
As smooth as the assist was, seeing how little pressure was applied to Wirtz on the edge of the box speaks volumes about the quality of the opposition. The Liverpool man was in around five yards of space when the ball was played to him, and if you allow that to happen, you are likely to be punished. Aside from his assist, Wirtz created three other big chances and saw a curling effort of his own, from the edge of the box, fly just wide.
Given the 23-year-old played the entire match and his side scored seven goals, he might be a little disappointed not to have been more involved, but it was a solid shift nonetheless. Germany’s opener offered Wirtz the chance to ease into the tournament, but sterner examinations await, and we will see how he responds to them.
Who Do They Play Next?
Neither Isak nor Wirtz have long to wait before returning to action. Sweden face an exciting-looking Group F clash against the Netherlands on Saturday, 20 June, while Germany take on Ivory Coast straight afterwards, in Toronto.