"Die Mannschaft had their Kommandant"
He lit up German hearts (...) with a magical display of trickery, inventiveness and brutal power, all while displaying the fierce combative streak that would go on to define him. (...) When Germany surprised one and all with their magnificently entertaining run into the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup, Schweinsteiger was at the heart of it all, ripping apart defences with his direct running and powerful shooting. (...) Schweinsteiger was a revelation in his new role, using his magical ability with the ball at his feet and almost supernatural reading of the game to destroy and create at wil. There wouldn’t have been a blade of grass in Brazil this summer that Bastian Schweinsteiger had not totally and utterly dominated. Mere blood was not going to keep Schweinsteiger from seizing what was rightfully his. The mercurial young talent turned eternally tragic hero, was now Champion of the World.
What makes it so beautiful is that even without that gold medal around his neck, Bastian Schweinsteiger is a champion in all senses of the word. The great man’s courage, intensity and above all keen sense of sportsmanship make him the ideal role model for any aspiring footballer. His story so far is a testament to the success that can be garnered from practicing the art of adaptability and perseverance.
There has never been a World Cup winner more deserving of the honour than the young man from Kolbermoor, who had once wanted to ski all day on the mountains of Bavaria.
Bastian Schweinsteiger, you beauty, take a bow. (x)
