The Liverpool attacker takes the award from Kroos, who was named the '24 Player of the Year, as he was retiring from Real Madrid.
"I have to say, I couldn't have imagined a better successor than you! You're a special player in so many ways," Kroos said. "In my opinion, you did everything right with your move to Liverpool, and that underscores your mentality and conviction."
Wirtz himself emphasised on Kicker that following "a player" like Kroos makes him "particularly proud." He also thanked not only the sports journalists for voting him Footballer of the Year—"a collective award"—but also "all my teammates, coaches, and staff at Bayer Leverkusen and the national team. I accept this award on behalf of all these people to whom I owe something along the way."
He also said, "The title is a very special personal honor and, at the same time, a huge incentive for the future. I know that at 22, I still have a lot of work to do to live up to all the expectations that come with being named Footballer of the Year, among others. And I will continue to set these expectations for myself, no matter what."