Bastian Schweinsteiger retires: An ode to the generation's most underrated midfielder
On the 13th of July, 2014, Germany and Argentina immersed themselves in one of the most tense FIFA World Cup finals ever. Deep into extra time, Mario Gotze popped up with a moment of magic to hand the Germans the lead in the 113th minute. Yet, one sensed that the Argentines had one final roll of the dice in store.
Subsequently, the Die Mannschaft looked towards heaven in inspiration, hoping for some divine intervention to enable them to see out the remainder of the game. Little did they know that their Guardian Angel was standing beside them, rather than somewhere intangible. After all, a certain Bastian Schweinsteiger had rolled up his sleeves.
Blood dripped down the midfielder’s face, his breathing reached exponential proportions yet, he stood there, in the face of adversity, like a rock, thwarting everything Argentina threw at the Germans.
A few minutes later, the Die Mannschaft triumphed and embraced each other jubilantly. Yet, none deserved that victory more than Schweinsteiger, who had lived through the Germans’ reputation as underachievers, overseen their offensive revolution and ultimately, led them to the summit of world football.
And, the bravery, courage, grit and skill the midfielder showcased on that evening in Rio de Janeiro embodied Schweinsteiger in a microcosm.
Over a career spanning nearly two decades, the former German skipper specialised in grabbing games by the scruff of the neck and tilting it his side’s way.
He spent an astounding 17 years at Bayern Munich, amassing 500 appearances across all competitions while he also laid his hands on the Bundesliga eight times, DFB Pokal Cup seven times, in addition to a solitary UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Through his span at the Bavarian giants, Schweinsteiger underwent a startling transformation from being a wide midfielder to a central midfielder capable of dictating the tempo of games.
Blessed with an indomitable spirit and equally unflappable temperament, he combined invention with industry on countless occasions, often leading his team’s charge with a string of defence-splitting passes or enabling his side to hold the fort, courtesy of his crunching tackles.
More importantly, though, Schweinsteiger was able to carve out a niche for himself as a box to box midfielder at a time when specialist attacking and defensive midfielders were in vogue.
The aforementioned change occurred through the early stages of the 21st century and continued well into the 2010s, before making a return a few years ago. Yet, the former Bayern Munich player refrained from altering his game to align himself with what was unfolding around him, rather backing his own strengths and eventually, etching himself into folklore.
And, though the German ended his tenure in Bavaria as one of the best to have ever donned the Bayern jersey, his journey wasn’t completely devoid of troughs.
Back in 2005, Schweinsteiger was relegated to the reserve team despite having shone for Germany in the Confederations Cup. Though he returned in a trice, that setback certainly wasn’t one the midfielder was expecting.
A few years later, in 2012, after powering Bayern Munich to the cusp of the UEFA Champions League crown, the German missed the decisive spot-kick against Chelsea in the final, a disappointment compounded by the encounter being played at the Allianz Arena.
Yet, he bounced back from that heartbreak to instantly capture Europe’s elite club competition a year later, a run that included a 7-0 mauling of Barcelona in the semi-final.
He stayed at Bayern for two more seasons before sealing a shocking switch to Manchester United, of all clubs. For the Red Devils, they intended the signing to signal that they still boasted the ability to attract high-profile footballers. Yet, that move failed to materialise as envisaged for both parties.
In the aftermath of the 2014 World Cup though, Schweinsteiger started showing signs of slowing down, albeit slightly. And, that particular aspect immensely dented the midfielder’s propensity to control matches, considering he earlier did so using a combination of energy and effervescent movement across the pitch.
Consequently, he started arriving in scoring positions a tad late or not at all, meaning that a major facet of his game was significantly hampered. Incidentally, his loss of form also dovetailed with the Red Devils’ spectacular fall from grace, thereby contributing to an unhappy time for all those involved.
And, while he got himself an FA Cup winner’s medal, that was hardly how Schweinsteiger would’ve hoped his last stint at a European superpower to transpire.
In 2017, Chicago Fire acquired the German’s services. At the MLS, the midfielder performed consistently and found himself in the MLS All-Star XI to face Real Madrid the same year. Apart from the above, he also scored several clutch goals, symbolising that although he had lost a bit of pace, he hadn’t been rid of the immeasurable class he possessed.
A couple of years later, on the 8th of October, 2019, Schweinsteiger announced that he would be hanging up his boots at the culmination of the current term, thereby bringing down the curtains on an illustrious career.
Through his sojourn as a professional footballer though, one might be forgiven to believe that the German was perhaps not given the requisite recognition, whether it be for his exploits with his nation or for Bayern.
Over the past few years, numerous midfielders have been decorated a lot more than Schweinsteiger, despite boasting an inferior trophy haul. Yet, that is a conversation one would do better to not indulge in at this juncture, especially when one of this generation’s greatest midfielders has bid adieu to the game.
And, though his time at Manchester United might have dwindled his sheen a shade, there’s no denying that Schweinsteiger competed in a short list to be termed the premier central midfielder across the globe, when in his prime.
After all, not many would be able to handle the pressure of a World Cup final, the sight of blood and heavy breathing to script a positive outcome, would they?