The triumphant story of Bastian Schweinsteiger - Der Kommandant von Kolbermoor (the Commander from Kolbermoor)

Der Kommandant celebrating another German victory in their glorious World Cup ‘14 campaign

The tricky young winger

The green grass of the pitch barely showed through a thick white layer of snow as the tiny town of Rosenheim, deep within the forests of Bavaria, entered yet another long and brutally cold winter. These conditions were far from ideal for the young boys eagerly running around, intent on squeezing every last bit of joy they could from the game they loved, before they had to take the long break all sporting activity in Deutschland took to escape the harshness of the winter weather. But for a talented young skier from Kolbenmoor, a little bit of snow on the ground was never going to be a problem.

This was the TSV-Stadion, the historic stadium of TSV 1860 Rosenheim, a venerable old local sports club which at the time was playing its football in the highest amateur league in Bavaria, the Bayernliga and it was their youth team which was in action that day. It was one of eleven clubs dotted all over the state that formed a part of the youth development program of the omnipotent sporting power in the region – FC Bayern Munich. And the kid who impressed most was the young skier from Kolbenmoor, a talented little left-winger, who even at that age showed a panache for dribbling past opponents and shooting powerfully after cutting in.

At age 14, Bastian Schweinsteiger (who had decided to leave behind a promising skiing career) left TSV 1860 to sign up for Bayern Munich’s youth team. He was now playing at a level that was much more in tune with his prodigious skills, but even here his talent shone through and he quickly rose through the youth teams and the reserves. Just four years after he first penned his name on the dotted line for the youth team, Schweinsteiger made his debut for the senior team at Bayern Munich.

By now he had become a fixture in his nation’s youth teams and broken into the senior team just before Euro 2004. He lit up German hearts in Portugal that year, with a magical display of trickery, inventiveness and brutal power, all while displaying the fierce combative streak that would go on to define him.

Despite making headlines for all the wrong reasons off the field, the temperamental and mercurial young man continued his good run of form on the field as he cemented his place on the Bayern and German left wing. 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, as he grew into the role of the able deputy to the creative chief of German football, Micheal Ballack.

Schweinsteiger slowly became the spine of both Bayern Munich and Germany

The Genesis of der Kommandant (the commander)

2009 was a tumultous year in Bavaria as Bayern Munich witnessed the introduction of the Iron Tulip, that master tactician and inflexible disciplinarian - Louis Van Gaal, as manager. And with him came the supremely talented winger, Arjen Robben. van Gaal, seeking to accommodate his brilliant compatriot, shifted Schweinsteiger into a withdrawn, defensively minded role in the centre of midfield. Bavaria, and Germany rose in unison to protest what seemed like a fool-hardy move that would surely snuff out the talent of their prodigal son, but van Gaal had seen in Schweinsteiger something none of his previous managers had.

As the season wore on, Bayern, and Germany (who recognising the genius of van Gaal’s move had replicated it in the national team) had a wholly different player on their hands. Schweinsteiger was a revelation in this new role, using his magical ability with the ball at his feet and almost supernatural reading of the game to destroy and create at will.

Die Mannschaft had their Kommandant.

The Tragedies

After the heartbreak of the 2006 loss to eventual champions Italy, they would suffer defeat after tragic defeat as they stumbled at the final in Euro ’08 and the semifinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as well as Euro ‘12.

Schweinsteiger also suffered similar anguish at club level, when Bayern Munich reached the 2012 Champions League final that was being played at their home ground, firm favourites to win their fifth European crown. After putting in a man of the match performance full of grit and pure determination, he would go on to miss the crucial last penalty as unfancied Chelsea became the champions of Europe.

Schweinsteiger was quickly becoming the very personification of the valiant yet unlucky hero that the great Greek tragedies so often portrayed.

The Redemption – Champions League

The very next year, however, he righted this wrong, as Jupp Heyneckes’ men completed a remarkable treble, Bayern and Schweinsteiger obliterating all in their path as Bayern swept to victory in the Champions League, the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal.

As Brazil 2014 drew closer, the expectation and pressure on the German team that had sailed through qualifying undefeated rose to unprecedented levels. Schweinsteiger had missed a large chunk of Bayern’s season with ankle trouble and Pep Guardiola’s strange decision to play Philip Lahm in central midfield had relegated him to the bench, but he was as integral as ever to the German national team – the living, breathing engine of the awe-inspiring machine that was Die Mannschaft.

The Redemption – The World Cup

Deserving Champions of the World – Schweinsteiger and Germany

Not wanting to risk his commander who had just recovered from yet another ankle injury, Low didn’t play Schweinsteiger in the first match as they effortlessly annihilated a listless Portugal. He didn’t start in the next game either, but as Ghana started gaining the upper hand in their crucial tie, Low decided to go all in and threw on Schweinsteiger along with the veteran legend, Miroslav Klose. What a difference that made; Schweinsteiger’s utterly dominant display ensuring that he would start every single match after that.

There wouldn’t have been a blade of grass in Brazil this summer that Bastian Schweinsteiger had not totally and utterly dominated. He was everywhere, throwing himself into a last ditch tackle one moment, launching a lethal attack at the very next. Der Kommandant was absolutely majestic as he owned every single match he played with his inimitable charisma and magical footballing abilities, bending the results to his iron willpower.

Long gone were the days when people decried Schweinsteiger for not living up to his potential. This was a man with absolute confidence in his supreme talent and the superhuman discipline to effectively wield them. Philip Lahm, his great friend and club mate was the captain of the team, but Schweinsteiger is not the kind of man that requires an elastic band across his biceps to be identified as a leader (this is in no way a put-down on the utterly brilliant Lahm, just an acknowledgement of the greatness of Schweinsteiger)

Die Mannschaft steamrollered on to the final, seeing off a feisty Algeria and a tough France, and putting up the performance of the tournament as they eviscerated the hosts. The semifinal barrier that had proved so impossible to circumvent had been smashed to smithereens.

In the final they faced an inspired Argentina led by the genius of Lionel Messi and the fight of Javier Mascherano, but the man that owned the match was the German Commander. His character epitomized by his impatience to rush back onto the field after Sergio Aguero clattered into him resulting in a profusely bleeding and clearly painful wound on his face that the doctor was taking his time to cautiously staple up. Mere blood was not going to keep Schweinsteiger from seizing what was rightfully his.

Mario Gotze had soon volleyed in a truly marvelous winner, Germany winning the World Cup for the first time after their reunification. Schweinsteiger, the mercurial young talent turned eternally tragic hero, was now Champion of the World.

The Perfect Champion

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.