Bastian Schweinsteiger

Bastian Schweinsteiger is one of the greatest midfielders in the history of German football. Charismatic and technically brilliant, 'Schweini' was a key piece in Bayern Munich's and the German National Team's achievements throughout a career spanning nearly two decades at the highest level of world football. Born in Kolbermoor, Bavaria, in 1984, Schweinsteiger was developed through Bayern Munich's youth academy and spent over a decade as a regular starter for the club. His technical ability, game vision, versatility and leadership capacity made him one of the most complete players of his generation. The greatest moment of his career was the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where he was captain of the German National Team that won the world championship. In the historic final against Argentina at the Maracanã, Schweinsteiger took the field injured, took an elbow to the face and continued playing — an image that symbolized the German team's fighting spirit in that tournament. After Bayern, he played for Manchester United and ended his career at MLS's Chicago Fire in 2019, having become an important ambassador for football in the United States.